day 3 position report

Position 23 38 S and 153 43 E

Could still do with a bit more wind. Put the ballooner up this morning as the wind has swung behind us. Last time we used it it tore, and our attempts at mending it without any fabric for a patch were not sufficient for the pressure so it began to separate along a seam after a couple of hours. Pity as it gave us an extra half knot at least. So we've had to motor a bit, though not much in the last 24 hours.

We hear that a cloud of red dust is still hanging over Brisbane, and we certainly have gritty decks and reddish ropes even out at sea. Makes for wonderfully red sunsets and sunrises.

No fishing lines out as we are still enjoying the yellow fin tuna. Enjoyed the sight of about 50 dolphins on the hunt earlier, gracefully leaping and torpedoing through the water with a few babies right next to their mums in perfect coordination. They were soon gone, certainly not in the mood to play in our bow wave.

Hope tomorrow's report will say that we are tucked up in a marina and have enjoyed a hot shower (not that we have lacked hot water on the boat with the motoring we have been doing).