This morning we left Green Island (aka Nissen Island) bound for Laughlan Atoll (aka Budibudi). We raised the hook at about 7:30am and by 8am we were out of the pass and raising the mainsail. Conditions are less then perfect, as usual. The sky is overcast with about 80% cloud cover and many rain clouds on the horizon in almost every direction. The wind is very light from the NNE at about 5-7k (though it was NNW before we left the lagoon).

The seas are calm with a swell from the SSE of about 2-3ft. The total distance to Laughlan is about 290. We are heading a bit to the East, rather then sail on a direct course, for three reasons. First, in case the weather gets worse we can put in to Buka Island which is about 43 miles to the SE of Green. Second, the current reportedly runs to the West in this area and is stronger the further South you go, so being more to the East can only help in that regard. Finally, though the wind is now NNW and is predicted to be NNE and then NE and then East, the prevailing winds for this time of year are SE and the predictions are for SE wind on the 3rd day, though we expect to arrive at Laughlan in 2 days, before that change is fully established. If the wind goes SE sooner then expected, being more to the East can only improve our wind angle. Either way, the wind is predicted to be very light for the next 4 days or more (i.e. less then 10k) which means even if it is more to the SE it will not be very bad for us.

Of course, light wind means motoring or motor sailing and that is what we are doing now and expect to be doing for the next 75 hours. Our speed is now right around 5.8k – 6k and our course is 146M. We expect to average about 5.5 for the next 72 hours which would put is in to Laughlan at about noon on Friday, two days from now.

At 11am conditions remain calm. Wind is less then 5k from the WNW now. The current has increased – it is setting to the SW and giving us quite a boost, though we are having to steer 131M to make 144M, a difference of 13 degrees. Our speed is now 6 – 6.3k over ground and our engine is turning over at about 1450rpms, about as slow as we could want for fuel economy. We are nearing the coast of Buka Island, the Northernmost island in the Solomons chain (though politically Buka and Bougainville, the next island to the South, are part of PNG). We will turn more to the South once we approach within about 5 miles of the coast of Buka.

At 2:45pm we are now about 5 miles off the West coast of Buka Island and have just turned on our new course of 170M which we will hold for the next 53 miles (about 9 hours). This course takes us South along the West of Buka and then Bougainville until we reach 6 degrees South where we will turn to starboard for the final leg on a course of 186M. If we were to head straight for Budibudi now our course would be 183M so we are only gaining an extra 3 degrees of angle, but, even that may help if the winds go Southeast. Right now conditions are very light with about 5k from the ESE, though it is fluctuating greatly due to it being so light. The swell is steady from the SSE at about 2-3ft and is very gentle and regular. Our speed is right about 6k over ground. The sky remains overcast with about 95% cloud cover, mostly light, high clouds but also plenty of towering cumulous in most directions, and some low puffy clouds as well. We saw one or two squalls in the distance earlier but right now there are no signs of any rain nearby. We do expect that to change tonight and most likely we will find one or two squalls or they will find us.

At 4pm we received a weather fax and saw that a low pressure system seemed to be moving right over us, and right along our path. We quickly changed course to the North and went into Queen Carola Harbor on Buka Island. We entered the pass at 5:20 in failing light and just managed to anchor before dark behind Hetau Island. We will evaluate the weather tomorrow morning and decide what to do.