What a cracking sail from New Caledonia. We've flown south on constant NE winds and flat seas to arrive at the southern anchorage, Kingston Bay, this evening. It was dark when we arrived but a clear entrance in using the electronic navigation and radar to verify the accuracy of the charts.
With Jackster settled for the night we had a we're here gin and tonic and went to bed.
During the night a southerly swell worked it's way into the bay and we rolled like a drunken penguin so when we tuned into the net and heard there was a favourable change to the forecast and it seemed possible to continue we forewent going ashore in preference of making NZ without motoring into head winds.
Norfolk Customs were most accommodating; if we didn't want to come ashore not a problem, if we wanted to chance a tough dinghy landing in the swell they'd clear us in and out at the same time. The main settlement in Kingston Bay is only small, a handful of stone buildings from about 18th or early 19th century I estimate. The island is 5 miles by 3 miles; a dot in a very large ocean and, to me, reminiscent of a small Tasmania.
Together with a second yacht, Mai Tai with Laine aboard, we left at midday on Wednesday NZ time for another great days' sail.
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