(November 9 to 13, 2024) “The Coral Sea is the body of water east of the Great Barrier Reef, bounded by Papua New Guinea to the north, the Tasman Front to the south, and the west Pacific island chains of the Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the east.” (Source: https://eatlas.org.au)
We’ve been sailing in the Coral Sea, currently about 300 miles south of New Caledonia.”
Our total sailing distance over the past six days is about 750 nautical miles (nms), with another 750 nms to go to reach Bundaberg. I estimate that the full journey will cover around 1,500 nms and take about 13 days.
Previously, we crossed the North Atlantic Ocean in 14 days, sailing from Bermuda to the Azores, and also the South Atlantic in 14 days, from Cape Verde to French Guiana (both approximately 2,000 nms/each direction). Our longest voyage was crossing the Pacific (3,000 nms), which took 30 days.
Most sailors don’t sail directly from New Zealand to Australia; they typically stop at Vanuatu or New Caledonia. However, traveling with cats, we know it’s easier to import them directly to Australia from New Zealand, without stopping at other islands in between.
The sea has been rough the past few days, and Starlink hasn’t worked well; the connection keeps switching on and off, likely due to the violent movement of the boat in the big waves and strong winds. Since we started this trip, my Fitbit smartwatch hasn’t been able to recognize my sleep data.
It’s my watch at the moment. I’ve cleaned and stored the heater, and John has turned on the fan by his bed. I already miss the cooler weather in New Zealand.
