Training day – no wind
The wind left us early in the morning and we had to start the engine, so we would not lose more ground on the other two Dutch Tall Ships. To keep the day interesting we started the afternoon with a survival suit exercise. Everybody got their survival suit out from under their bed and put it on, as a first familiarization. And because it was a first encounter with the suits, no real drill was added, just putting it on, checking the gear and knowing how big and hot they are!
After that, we lowered the mainsail (just back from the sail makers) and got some work done on extra leather bindings on places it might chafe and got some whippings on loose ends of new rope around the deck. It was nice and easy work on a sunny afternoon. Big cargo ships passed us by in the distance and we passed White Island. A volcanic Island in the Bay of Plenty.
There is still no wind. We are making our way past East Cape right now and hope the wind will return from the north east somewhere during the night or early morning.