A message from Stephen Davies - 6 October 2020 (for Jon and the team):
Jon has hit what looks to be a severe trough, much like the Queen's Birthday Storm in 1994. That storm caused what is believed to be New Zealand's largest marine rescue operation. Seven yachts were abandoned, twenty people rescued, and one yacht lost with all three crew members. You can read more and see images of that storm at https://www.rutgerson.se/discover/queens-birthday-storm/.
Wind speeds exceeded 60-65kts (120kms per hour) at which point the anemometer ceased to function. We are hoping Jon has experienced the worst of the storm although he is still being hit hard. Consequently, Jon has had to alter course to ride out the storm. He is now heading northwest rather than west to Bundaberg.
Contact with Jon was difficult over that last 36 hours. The Nebo positioning system carried by ClientSAT enabled close tracking of Jon in the absence of direct communication. When communication with Jon resumed, he reported, "Waves breaking into cockpit big time. With two out of 3 wash boards in waves flooded cockpit and cabin floorboards awash. Put all 3 electric bilge pumps to work. Started engine to keep power up. It only just started at 12.4volts. (And I ran motor two hours earlier)."
Paul Stratfold who is familiar with Perie Banou II and has sailed extensively with Jon remarks that in these conditions "if you want to make a milkshake just put it in a jar, put the lid on and leave it in the bilge". Paul (skipper of a superyacht who made the Panama Canal transit tethered to Jon's boat) confirms Jon's report of swell hitting Perie Banou II Jon from several directions. "I believe the term is you are being rag dolled! "
Jon advises conditions are improving and hoping for some calmer weather in the next couple of days to make repairs including the windvane. His ETA in Bundaberg is 15 October but will be revised in the next 24 hours. Jon's account of the last few days can be found at www.jonsanders.com.
Jon's current position and his track can be found on Minderoo Foundation's No Plastic Waste site https://track.noplasticwaste.org/.
As always, our thanks for your support and ongoing interest.
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