At Coffs Harbour I waited for an east coast low to move offshore before leaving for New Caledonia. The direct course was about 880 nautical miles. I had cleared customs and prepared meals and bread, but once offshore the barometer fell steadily. The low had stalled, and I was sailing towards its more dangerous quarter.
Steep seas and a bilge alarm
A southerly wind opposed the current. The sea steepened quickly and I put in the second and then third reef, leaving only a small amount of genoa. The wind instruments stopped working at 54 knots. As I steered down the waves, the bilge alarm sounded continuously. I searched below and found water streaming from the aft locker area.
Waves were washing over the swim platform and filling the gas locker. Water then came through an opening left when the old autopilot was reinstalled. I found a wooden plug, hammered it into place and the inflow stopped. The bilge alarm quietened, allowing me to return to steering and watching the weather.
Landfall
The steep conditions lasted a little over twelve hours. By the next day the wind and sea had eased, and the rest of the passage was much easier. I timed my arrival to enter the pass at dawn, continued towards Noumea, completed the arrival formalities and anchored in Orphelinat Bay. Denny was due to fly in for the cruise that followed.
