The Western Pacific - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 416

sails and held on in building seas. As Namani paralleled the coast south, we ticked off
beacons and steeled ourselves for an unpleasant finale. But luck was on our side: the wind
mellowed just as quickly as it came, leaving us to cover the final twenty miles on a gentle
beam reach.
Having sailed 916 miles in eight days, we made landfall just in time: 10:00 on Saturday,
November 16. Two hours after our anchor bit in, a hailstorm shot holes straight through
our dodger and vicious winds howled throughout the night. We were pleased to play turtle
in Namani's snug shell and grateful that Coffs Harbour customs agents allowed us to an-
chor out and wait for a Monday clear-in. At this point in our seafaring careers, an extra
thirty-six hours on board was far preferable to the high cost of a weekend check-in.
For us, Coffs Harbour was a manageable port of entry that cut 185 miles off a direct pas-
sage to Sydney (1,050 miles) - a difference that would have found us taking the brunt of
the trough's effects at sea. Once the trough passed, we headed south from Coffs Harbour
in favorable conditions and spent an unforgettable month in Sydney. Few sailors had as
much cause for celebration at the incredible New Year's fireworks as the crew of Namani !
Once the holiday revelry settled down, it was time for us, too, to set course for our final
500-mile passage to Brisbane. For us, the detour to Sydney was well worth the effort,
rounding out an incredible Pacific crossing with a bang.