Leg 3: Cape Town to Melbourne (cont)

Date: Saturday 6 December 2003

Day: 134 (This Leg Day 44)

Local time: 1200 GMT+9

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 41.27'S 124.19'E

Position relative to nearest land: 953 miles WSW of Melbourne

Course: 097 T

Speed: 4.2 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 67 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,119

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,119

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 893 nautical miles (nm) to Cape Otway, 60
miles from Melbourne.

Barometric pressure: 1026

Wind direction: NW

Wind Speed: Force F2-3, (3-10 knots)

Cloud cover: 10%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Virtually becalmed, occasional light breeze from distant
cloud with a few spots of rain. Very Slowly running
across flat sea under full N0 2 Yankee, full Staysail, full Mizen Staysail,
full Mizen sail

Bird sightings (At 1200): 3 x White Chinned Petrels (sitting on water), 1
x Wilson's Storm Petrel



Notes: Flat calm. The scent of the fleshpots is not getting any stronger in
the nostrils. First signs of oncoming privation:



Cocoa, Peanut butter, Biscuits exhausted, last 4 litre of paraffin into
cooker fuel tank.



It's a big effort for the seabirds to fly in flat calm. Many seem to sit it
out, particularly White-chinned Petrels.



Everyone settles down to wait. Not a common component of modern life.



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Sunday 7 December 2003

Day: 135 (This Leg Day 45)

Local time: 1200 GMT+9

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 41.19'S 125.08'E

Position relative to nearest land: 953 miles WSW of Melbourne

Course: Becalmed

Speed: 0 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 37 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,146

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,146

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 857 nautical miles (nm) to Cape Otway, 60
miles from Melbourne.

Barometric pressure: 1023

Wind direction: NW

Wind Speed: Force F0-1, (0-3 knots)

Cloud cover: 25%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Flat calm. Wonderful sea and cloud-scapes, reflected on
the oil-like sea. Silence.

Bird sightings (At 1200): Nil



Notes: Alone at the wheel in flat glassy calm, literally not moving, leaves
the mind free to wander. How do I come to be here, championing the Albatross, a bird beyond the
pale? What draws me here to this lonely giant?



As an adopted child in those bleak years after WW11, I was lonely. Most of
my time was spent fishing alone, rowing my small wooden boat up and down the Thames near Windsor. My eyes were sharpened, looking for wary Chub shadowlike under bankside trees. I was alone with nature.



In 1956, aged 18 and in the Merchant Navy, after Nautical College, I
visited the Southern Seas and saw my first Albatross.



Ten years later I was rowing the North Atlantic with Chay Blyth, one
asleep, one awake. Alone with the sea. In 1968 I was in a Race to become the first to sail alone around the world non-stop. Shortly after this I left the Army , and with MC, went to live in a remote coastal part of NW Scotland. Accessible by boat, Ardmore has been our home for 35 years, the first 18 were without electricity. We worked on Kinlochbervie Pier in the Whitefish Industry.



We owned a Salmon Farm for 17 years and still own a Mussel farm. We
witnessed the inevitable drift toward mass production and
genetic modification, to suit the market place and huge investment; and the
need to kill other fish to make food for Salmon.



At the same time I sailed a couple of times around the world and to
Polynesia, Greenland and Antarctica. Much time was spent alone at the wheel with the Albatross on my shoulder.



I understand the anarchy of the high seas and its association with flags of
convenience, low wages, piracy. The sea covers 3/4 of our planet.



I understand how charities must battle for funds, often competing with each
other for meagre sponsors from the same pool.



I have always had a fatal weakness for the underdog. I think I understand
how the lonely Albatross is beyond the pale.




Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Monday 8 December 2003

Day: 136 (This Leg Day 46)

Local time: 1200 GMT+9

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 41.41'S 127.49'E

Position relative to nearest land: 670 miles south-west of Adelaide

Course: 094 T

Speed: 7.6 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 125 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,271

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,271

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 737 nautical miles (nm) to Cape Otway, 60
miles from Melbourne.


Barometric pressure: 1019

Wind direction: NNE

Wind Speed: Force F4-51, (11-21 knots)

Cloud cover: 100%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Moderate and rising sea from NE

Bird sightings (At 1200): 1 x Black-browed Albatross



Notes: The 990 Low advanced towards us. We held onto the Mizen Staysail
until 1400, then dropped it together with the Mizen

Sail itself. This left the two Headsails: No 2 Yankee and Staysail; adding
just a scrap of Mainsail, only out as far as the

damaged section of the Leech, and gave us our familiar storm sail setting.



As afternoon wore on our world turned grey and we thumped into a gathering
NNE wind. Everyone on their toes for what we hope

might just be our last gale before Melbourne. It looks as if the centre of
this Low could pass right over us.



A couple of tiny Storm Petrels walk on the water around us. The bigger
White Chinned Petrels, which are in fact all black,

except for the merest touch of white on the chin, swoop about. A young
Wandering Albatross or two quarters the vicinity like a

cruising B52.



There is also another smaller albatross which we cannot place. Snow white,
except for black wing tips and black frame to the

underwing and black tail, it has a black beak maybe. It is local to Australia.

Pretty bumpy by midnight.



Into the mist....John

Date: Tuesday 9th December 2003

Day: 137 (This Leg Day 47)

Local time: 1200 GMT+9

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 42.11'S 131.06'E

Position relative to nearest land: 640 miles west of Tasmania

Course: 102 T

Speed: 7 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 150 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,421

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,421

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 598 nautical miles (nm) to Cape Otway, 60
miles from Melbourne.

Barometric pressure: 1005

Wind direction: N

Wind Speed: Force F5, (17-21 knots)

Cloud cover: 100%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Lumpy

Bird sightings (At 1200): 1 x Wilson's Storm Petrel, 1 x White-chinned Petrel



Notes: The Low came marching east; centred just south of the 40th parallel.
We were south of the 42nd, heading ESE. The

barometer fell 17 points over the 24hrs and it looks as if it really has
passed just to the north of us, depriving us of the

longed for westerly air stream.



At 1845 the Mizen Staysail halyard block exploded at the top of the Mizen
mast, this brought people on deck pretty sharpish.



We gathered the sail in and just gilled along during the night, wallowing
in a sloppy calm.

Nick is set to take a bigger block to the mizen masthead tomorrow, when we
may get a bit of SSW wind off the back of the

Depression. Then we could set the trusty Mizen Staysail again; it has
proved such a good substitute for the damaged Mainsail.



A couple of Wandering Albatrosses still with us.



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Wednesday 10th December 2003

Day: 138 (This Leg Day 48)

Local time: 1200 GMT+9

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 42.04'S 133.04'E

Position relative to nearest land: 500 miles SSW of Adelaide.

Course: 079 T

Speed: 7.5 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 90 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,511

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,511

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 513 nautical miles (nm) to Cape Otway, 60
miles from Melbourne.

Barometric pressure: 996

Wind direction: SW

Wind Speed: Force F7, (28-33 knots)

Cloud cover: 50%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Rough

Bird sightings (At 1200): 1 x juvenile Wandering Albatross, 5 x White
chinned Petrels.



Notes: Shortly after midnight the wind picked up and by mid-morning we had
a full gale from first the south West and then the West.



The boat picked up her skirts and romped along. As eager to reach Melbourne
as her crew. It's a really big bonus that we all get along so well. None of
us will forget the endless nights and days of hand-steering, what ever the
weather!



We are aiming to thread the eye of the needle. After seven weeks of
hand-steering our colours are running dry. But we must
pass through on the north side of a fifty mile gap between Cape Otway and
King Island. The Chart reads:



CAUTION - In approaching King Island, especially during thick weather,
caution will be required on account of the variablestrength of the current which sets to the south east with a force varying from half to two and a half knots, according to the strength and duration of the westerly winds. Many fatal wrecks have occurred on this island apparently from errors in reckoning.


The Cape Otway side is known as the Shipwreck Coast.



I wish we had the mainsail!



Into the mist... John.


John Ridgway

Date: Thursday 11th December 2003

Day: 139 (This Leg Day 49)

Local time: 1200 GMT+9

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 40.34'SS 135.58'E

Position relative to nearest land: 463 nm WSW of Melbourne

Course: 049 T

Speed: 6.0 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 150 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,701

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,701

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 363 nautical miles (nm) to Cape Otway, 60
miles from the entrance to Port Phillip, approx 100 miles from Melbourne.

Barometric pressure: 1010

Wind direction: WNW

Wind Speed: Force F5-6, (17-28 knots)

Cloud cover: 100%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Big swell and cross sea, but easing.

Bird sightings (At 1200): 1 x Grey-headed Albatross, 1 x Storm Petrel.



Notes: Winds still favourable for cape Otway,our landfall on Australia.



Very pleased to see Elliot Morley, UK Environment Minister,is to head a
five-nation Task Force to tackle pirate fishing. Only sorry it will take 2 years to announce its plans. That will be too late for hundreds of thousands of albatrosses and petrels.



In Australia and NZ we will emphasise the seabird by-catch problem associated with pirate fishing.



Meanwhile, on the shippy, everyone is coping with short rations ok, we
should land with oatmeal complexions - not far to go!



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Friday 12th December 2003

Day: 140 (This Leg Day 50)

Local time: 1200 GMT+10

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 39.30'S 138.51'E

Position relative to nearest land: 240 mile due south of the port of
Goolwa, at the mouth of the great Murray River, South
Australia.

Course: 059T T

Speed: 5.7 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 144 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,845

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,845

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 219 nautical miles (nm) to Cape Otway, 60
miles from Melbourne.

Barometric pressure: 1009

Wind direction: W

Wind Speed: Force F4, (11-16 knots)

Cloud cover: 50%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Running before lumpy sea

Bird sightings (At 1200): 1 x Grey-headed Albatross.



Notes: Still bumping and rolling downwind toward Melbourne. The problem
with splitting the circumnavigation into Legs rather
than sailing non-stop round the world is that sight of the overall voyage
is lost in the rush to complete each Leg: catch the
tide at Port Phillip, reach Melbourne before dark, catch the plane, reach
the office on time. The result is inevitable over-pressing and so damage to gear at the end of each Leg. Worse, some damage is cumulative. It was £10,000 in Cape town, what will it be in Melbourne?



Closing the great mainland of Australia we are losing our ocean companions,
the wheeling albatross, the speedy black petrels
and the tiny storm petrels walking on the water beside us. It's as if they
prefer the vast great blue water ride round the
planet. They don't wish to be blown onto the hostile hinterland of
Australia. If you drink seawater, eat fish and sleep on
the sea, the land is not much use to you. I miss them.



Into the mist...John



PS We now urgently need a set of aluminium sail foils for the staysail,
that is for our Profurl furling system, Model No. NI42, I imagine there is
a Profurl Agent in Melbourne and the sailmaker will know him. Bit of a
panic as the parts may need to come from France and we sail on 28 December.



John Ridgway

Date: Saturday 13 December 2003

Day: 141 (This Leg Day 51)

Local time: 1200 GMT+10

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - The role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU
fishing.


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 39.16'E, 141.36'E

Position relative to nearest land: 91 miles est of Cape Otway, approaching
Melbourne

Course: 104 T

Speed: 4.6 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 125 miles

Distance traveled since last port: 5,970 miles

Total distance from Ardmore: 13,970 miles

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 191 miles.


Barometric pressure: 1020

Wind direction: W

Wind Speed: Force F4, (11-16 knots)

Cloud cover: 50%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: n/a

Sea conditions: Running before lumpy sea

Bird sightings (At 1200): nil



Notes: The weather comes good for us. A high develops, the wind holds and
the sea smooths out. We could reach Melbourne by 1700



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Sunday 14 Dec.


2pm -arrival update - good speed overnight and successfully through
the Port Philip heads - now motoring up through the South channel -almost past Arthurs Seat - 5-6pm is current guess at Sandy
YC



How relieved I am that we don't have a gale now. Australia is a long way
from Ardmore.



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Sunday 14 December 2003

Day: 142 (52 this Leg)

Local time: 1200 UTC + 11hrs

Leg Number and name: Leg 3

Focus of leg:

Position - Latitude, Longitude:

Position relative to nearest land: In Sandringham Yacht Club Marina, Port Phillip

Course:

Speed:

Distance traveled in last 24hrs:

Distance traveled since last port:

Total distance from Ardmore:

Headed to:

Distance to next port:

Barometric pressure:

Wind direction:

Wind Speed:

Cloud cover:

Air temperature:

Surface sea temperature:

Sea conditions:


Bird sightings:



Notes: Motoring up the coast from Cape Otway to Port Phillip Heads. We came through the Rip around noon and it was still 30 miles across the Bay to Melbourne. The lovely welcome meant so much to us. We had arrived in the most liveable city in the world - what a contrast with the Southern Ocean.



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Now go on to the next two weeks 15-27 December 2003 our Christmas Stopover in Melbourne

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