Shooting the breeze

FIVE years ago we were at a remote Pacific island with just a few other yachts. There was socialising ashore and chatter on the VHF. This year we sailed to another remote island: Lord Howe.

It was an easy 470 nautical mile sail from Fraser Island, Australia, with a northerly breeze behind us. The random element was the current of up to two knots that sometimes helped and sometimes hindered. We had downloaded the most recent water temperature chart with the idea of staying in the warm water of the East Australian Current that flows south from the Great Barrier Reef. Unfortunately navigation by thermometer is yet to be perfected on this boat.

As we got closer to Lord Howe, the wind changed from the north to the south and a small swell developed. We were glad to get into the lee of the island. The waves got flatter but the hills got higher.

Lord Howe is an exposed seamount, a seven million year old volcanic remnant