Posted Saturday 7 July 2012
After leaving Noumea, on the June 16, I made my way to the Loyalty Islands where I spend 5 days, relaxing and enjoy the quite atmosphere of the tribal life in Ouvea.
I got my weather window from Veronica and weighed anchor on Sunday June 24 at 2130 UTC, after motoring briefly I raised my sails and heading north to the pass of Taureau, basically on the same course to the Solomon's with the wind on my starboard quarter 12/15 knots SE and the seas also SE 2 meters. Monday the 25th greeted me with a 24 hours run of 163nm, and the idea of a fast passage, became very appealing. The winds picked up a bit more to 18/22 knots but the seas stayed about the same height. The boat was surfing for periods 3/4 seconds, and it was in these conditions that on Tuesday 26 June, at 2130 UTC, the log showed Vida Nova had sailed 180nm in 24 hours, a best ever.
For the following days, the 24 hour runs reads in order 173, 171, 157, and the last 85 nm to Honiara, was under motor, where I arrived at night and dropped the anchor in Point Cruz 1310 UTC, 920 nm in 6 days and 16 hours, with a average speed of 5.8 knots.
I am now in Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, situated on the NE coast of Guadalcanal. This is indeed the path least traveled.
