ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Piccies!

Finally the planets and stars line up and the 51st Project's Sat gear is pumping out info. Cheers on that. From about 11am EST on Tuesday we get: "Hi Guys, very exciting day, only 99.9 nautical miles to the southern tip of New Caledonia!! We have been on the same tack for 6 days now and in a relatively large seaway, as you can imagine there has been much swearing whilst cooking meals and doing dishes..."

Another gem was: "Saw the first flying fish of the trip today, it has obviously just taken us a little while to get to warm enough weather!! Shorts have been on for a number of days now and no thermals, but it has been buried under copious amounts of wet weather gear..."

More bouncy castle instructions: "To sleep on a yacht in these conditions, you have to be adaptable, "The Gecko" bracing your hands and feet against points in your bunk to remain there. "The Hook" hooking one arm under the top of the cushion while lying on your stomach to attempt to get some sleep and "Flat Out", lying flat on your back with your arms ..."

OK. To the piccies. now if you haven't been to sea, then these may help to give you an idea and add some reference to some of the comments being provided by the crew.

Here's the happy Boss (Phil Coombs) and Lex, those thermals!!!!

Cheryl Coombs says this is a bad hair day...

The dolphins are like your best little pals - the puppies of the sea. The shooter has done well to get them as they broach. it is not as easy as you would think, as you do not know entirely where the little subs are going to surface!

Kites do get used on these long trips. Sometimes for days at end. We did 15 days straight, once...

Lex is the gizmo man.

Lex sneaks in a treat.

He of the loud shorts shows us the "puppy dog" sleep method...

Men of Sailing (Phil and Tim). Why is it I can only think of Mel Brooks' Men in Tights???

Not asking and don't want to know either. You're grown men... (Pee Wee and Smithy)

Pee Wee found Erin's stash... And was obviously proud enough to be caught on camera.

Tim is up the mast in the full wets in a Laracass harness. Comfy... NOT!

Tim takes a tropical shower. Note the heel of the deck by virtue of the angle of the sea out behind the wheels relative to the cockpit coaming.

Please remember, that if you want to find out where everyone is in the chase for the container of humanitarian aid that APC Logistics sent to Vanuatu for us, then please go HERE. Sked times are 4.30am and pm EST.

By John Curnow