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Chasing the Next Horizon

 

The last 24 hours have been a dream. The weather has approached near-perfect conditions, serving up just a few knots of breeze across the water and nothing more than a minor wavelet. It’s the kind of motoring that makes you forget about the autopilot woes of the previous week.

Our ETA to Port Vila is now locked in for later this afternoon. Once we’ve dropped anchor, the preparation for the next leg can begin immediately.

It seems to be a sign of the times, doesn't it? We’re always in a rush to get in, and then immediately in a rush to leave again. No one is ever truly satisfied; we're always chasing to get over the next horizon. We enjoy the tranquility of this moment, but there's a drive to get the PC52 delivered to Queensland as efficiently as possible. Plus I have a home to go to.

The tranquility of the day quickly vanished once the sun set. My watch last night, from 8 PM to midnight, felt less like cruising and more like navigating an obstacle course, thanks entirely to the long liners and their gear.

It truly seems like these guys must spend hours studying approaching traffic before deploying their lines, just to ensure they cause the absolute maximum disruption. Statistically speaking, it is completely impossible that every single long line you come across is positioned directly over your heading! Yet, here we were.

It was a slow, meticulous game of threading the needle. We had to weave the PC52 through the markers, avoid the culprit vessel that laid the trap, and keep a constant eye on the radar. Just as we cleared that mess, we were greeted by a massive cruise ship barrelling the other way.

So, while we were only travelling at a stately 7 knots, it was about as hectic a watch as you can have! 

This stop is all about fuel, quick clearance, and final systems checks. Let's hope the authorities are feeling as cooperative as the weather is right now, especially with that Sunday afternoon ETA looming. I suspect clearance will be on Monday and hopefully first thing. We’ll be sure to update you on our arrival and the clearance situation in the next post—fingers crossed for that convenient fuel-dock meeting!
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