We now continue skirting the northern part of the ice exclusion zone, on starboard jibe downwind with a 20 knot SW wind. A frontal system passed last night, causing the NW wind quickly shive west south west, then SW. Conditions are shiftier and puffier, with some isolated squalls, but we do enjoy a nice swell helping to push the boat forward with very nice surfs.
Looking ahead we expect to throw a few jibes again later today and night, by the eastern portion of this northern exclusion zone line. After that, we will be free to decide and set our course towards Melbourne. It currently looks the rest of the trip to be reasonably fast, with some fair winds all the way to the Melbourne entrance.
On board everything is good, chipping along with our normal routines and watch systems, and well used to the waves washing the deck and constant spray as the normality on deck.
JV
