Sunday Island Fiji to Tasmania

As mentioned in my last blog , Emilie, Issy & Max flew back to Hobart on 16th September and are now settled back to home and school.
On the same day Sunday Island and crew (me) checked out of Fiji. We exited the pass in light winds under full sail and had a lovely sail at 75*TWA throughout the remainder of the day and night. By morning winds started to pick up to 20kts, so I reefed the mainsail and cracked off a few degrees to make best speed. By mid morning we were back under full canvas, and rocketing along towards New Caledonia.
The next few days Sunday Island was powered up on a reach just shy of the beam, and the ride was pretty bumpy. There was not much to do but keep watch and hold on. As the wind started to abate, I began to sort out Sunday Island to get her ready for Australia and the Southern Ocean.
Australia is probably one of the most strict countries in the world in regard to Bio-security and customs. (Great for Australia). The law enforcement agency is called Border Force and they are very strict! Bio-security regulations are even stricter than Galapagos! So I started cleaning the boat from bow to stern, cleaning every cupboard, wall, bilge, floorboards, the works. While i worked my way through the boat I re-stowed a lot of gear to make bilges and spaces more accessible. I wasn’t planning to be playing lego, so the lego and other kids toys were boxed up and packed away. I also moved a lot of the weight from forward to midships to help with the speed and to keep the centre of gravity low and to the centre of the boat; sounds “racey”, but this trip is all about comfort and speed. Spare Sails were moved from forward to the saloon, surfboards brought down into the saloon from on deck, and even the outboard that would normally live on the stern is now securely bolted down under the saloon seat.
The last few days the winds have been very light, giving me a chance to further clean and check the boat. For every small job I think of I find another job to do, as everything has to be checked for safety, durability, and watertightness. During light winds while motoring I lowered the sails and gave them a thorough check, patching any areas of chafe or wear, and running lines for a third reef in the mainsail and a reef in the missen. I also tested out a couple of smaller headsails to determine what my best heavy weather setup will be. Running backstays have been set up, and all halyards and rigging checked. This all may seem a bit over the top, but I had the time on my hands (what else do you do when your nearest neighbour is hovering in the space station above you?). Additionally looking at the 35kt winds forecast over the next week, I want our little ship to be as prepared as possible.
Yesterday we sailed past the 1200nm half way mark, and tonight we will sail past Lord Howe Island. My initial intention was to stop over for a few days at Lord Howe, but the bureaucracy of Bio-security and customs checks, including divers, dogs, and a wasted day on a rickety jetty put me off. I am also racing to time for my Bass Strait crossing with the present forecast of northerly winds, and stopping just one day in Lord Howe Island would have resulted in stopping for over 5 days to wait for a new weather window.
The next few days should be a good challenge, and bring some excitement to our lovely lady as we head towards the Southern Ocean!