Riding a southerly front

The big challenge with cruising before retirement is to juggle the pressures of meteorology, and the pressures of social and work lives.

It is about 300 nautical miles from Port Stephens to the Gold Coast, and we usually average about 6 knots.

When the GRIB files showed a southerly front coming, the temptation was to jump aboard and ride it north.

Each big feather represents 10 knots, so this was a 25 knot tail-wind, with 3 metre seas. Exciting, bumpy, and fast!

 Arriving at Coffs Harbour

We then went to see our old friends Rog and Wendy and had a nice meal with them.

Next day we decided to take a rest day, and rented a car to explore the Bellingen and Dorrigo areas.

The Promised Land

On the Tuesday morning we checked the forecast (horrible, but still southerly), and went for a walk up on the headland to decide whether to brave another 24 hour run in big seas.

Lets do it!

Another fast sail, arriving at the Gold Coast Seaway just as dawn broke on Wednesday morning. Tired and happy. Average speed over 24 hours, 8.5 knots.