24 January to 6 February 2004 - Log of the John Ridgway Save the Albatross Voyage

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Leg 5 - Wellington to the Falklands via Cape Horn

Date: Saturday 24 January 2004

Day: 183

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 41.17'S 74.51'E Wellington

Position relative to land: Departing Chaffer's Marine, Lambton Harbour, Wellington, NZ

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 0

Distance sailed this Leg: 0

Total distance from Ardmore: 15,250 miles

Course: Steering for the entrance to Wellington harbour.

Next Port:

Approx distance to next port:

Wind: Light to moderate southerly of F3-4

Sea: Sheltered waters of Wellington harbour


Barometer:

Air Temp:

Sea temp:

Cloud cover:

Bird sightings (At 1200):



Notes: Bright sun with little or no wind. Brett, the electrician, arrived at 0730 and got the VHF radio going. I started the engine: it ran ok, though Francois and I can still hear a rattle at front end. The alternator supplied electricity.



Gordon came down early too, he and Blake have made a real effort on the rigging. It is now better than it has ever been.



Decks were scrubbed, gear stowed, warps singled up and fenders put away. Igor produced dock-steps belonging to the Admiral of the fleet.



A crowd gathered along the road overlooking the Marina and a dark-haired lady presented me with a single red rose on a long dark green stem. The P.A. system played Andy and Mick Lezala's CD about the voyage and we changed into smart white Save the Albatross t-shirts.



Helen Clark, Prime-Minister of New Zealand, accompanied by the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Health, arrived at 1145. They all three signed our Petition. Kevin Hackwell spoke on behalf of Forest and Bird. I said a few words and presented the PM with the red English Rose on its long dark green stem.



The P.M. spoke for the albatross and what New Zealand will do for it.



Then I hopped on the old boat and took the wheel. MC turned the key to start the engine. It roared into life. The Prime Minister cast off the single line and we were under way on Leg Five: Wellington to the Falklands, by way of Cape Horn.



Accompanied by a fleet of Forest and Bird kayaks, the white Police boat ''Lady Elizabeth'' and a large red Coastguard RIB, we wound through headland and pier. There were 'Save the Albatross' banners everywhere.



By 1400 we were alone, a mile NW of Baring Head, heading for Cape Horn. The mountainous coast of New Zealand looked stunning in the clearest air.
Igor and Brent were being sick and I wasn't feeling too cracky either. But the Albatrosses were out in force to greet us. It hadn't been a bad day for them.



Into the mist...



John Ridgway

LEAVING WELLINGTON

Date: Saturday 24 January 2004

Note: we sailed from Wgtn on schedule with the PM waving us goodbye, motored all afternoon SE out past Cape Palliser, light condx, sunny and warm.

Date: Sunday 25 January 2004

Day: 183, (This Leg Day 2)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies'

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 42/58'S 177/05'E

Position relative to land:

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 141 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 141 nautical miles

Total distance from Ardmore: 15,391 miles

Course: 130T

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port:

Wind: NE, F3-4, 7-16 knots

Sea: Sheltered waters of Wellington harbour

Barometer:1024

Air Temp: 21C

Sea temp:

Cloud cover: 50%

Bird sightings over the day: White-chinned Petrel, Salvin's Albatross,
Gibsons's and Antipodean Albatross, Southern Royal Albatross, White-faced
Storm Petrel, Buller's Shearwater.



Notes: How lucky to have had such a good start, to allow the two new
members of the crew to find their sea legs. How different from Capetown and Melbourne.



After twelve hours of motoring into a light headwind, the breeze veered and
built to NE4 and allowed us to sail at 7 knots.



Stuffed with numerous potions, Brent battled away at his birds with bino's,
notebook and tape recorder. How I wish we had been able to entice a
similiar enthusiast to come with us on the previous Legs. Salvin's and
Royal Albatrosses and White-faced Storm Petrels, along with Buller's Shearwater and Giant Petrels
were all easily recognisable with Brent's guidance.



Francois is beginning to smile again and that helps to light-up the place.
He had a good session going over the boat with
Nick,in the afternoon. However, Nick and I hope Igor, in whose Watch he is,
will be able to prevail upon him not to make a Gallic dash on the sail
set-up, at least until he is more familiar with the rig: from the far side
of the world, we do have a long, long way to go.



One of the improvements from Wellington is the main steering. We are very
grateful to Chris Sturrock for re-building the whole system and for all the
other work he put in.



In the middle of a dark night, we had an unusual encounter with a lone
fishing vessel at 43/40'S, 178/05'E. It was in sight on our port side for 5
hours while we covered some thirty miles. Was it a fishing vessel? Also at
this time we encountered the brightest phosphorescence I have ever seen. It
lit up the sails from the bow wave and the crests of the waves, right out
to the horizon, burned with the white fire of icebergs.



Into the mist...



John Ridgway

Date: Monday 26 January 2004

Day: 184, (This Leg Day 3)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 44/37'S 179/48'E

Position relative to land: 150 nm WSW of Chatham Islands, 4,349 nm to Cape Horn

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 160 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 301 nautical miles

Total distance from Ardmore: 15,551 miles

Course: 108T

Speed: 2-3 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 4,829 nm

Wind: W F2-3, (4-10 knots)

Sea: Light, a bit lumpy with following breeze

Barometer: 1022 steady

Air Temp: 22C

Sea temp: 15.3C

Cloud cover: 100%



Notes: We finally overtook the fishing boat at 0100 and the burning white phosphorescence continued. Perhaps this is caused by the upwelling of deep southern waters onto the Chatham Rise.



Coming on Watch again at 0600, MC and I found a grey, overcast dawn, with Brent delighted by the numerous birds: Salvin's, Chatham, Royal and Gibson's Wandering Albatrosses abound; along with Buller's Shearwaters and White-faced Storm Petrels. Sightings of the Grey-backed Storm Petrel and the Flesh-footed Petrel seemed to give him the most joy. 'Enthusiasm is the key - the grip of the hand, the spring in the step and the spark in the eye - without it, everything else is an alibi!' Henry Ford is supposed to have remarked, though I don't suppose Henry did much for the birds around Baton Rouge. Brent has the enthusiasm. MC and I must come back to see one of his Wrybills working up a braid river in the South Island: if your beak is bent to the right, maybe you do your drinking on the left bank?




Light and variable winds kept us nodding along, ust south of east for most of the day. In the early afternoon we crossed the 180th meridian and began the long count down to 0 degrees on the Greenwich Meridian.



MC and I feel we are now truly heading home from the far side of the world. But then we promptly disappeared into a bank of fog for the rest of the afternoon. With six or seven weeks at sea between us and the Falklands, I'm not rushing into evaluating our two-week stay in Wellington.



But I did read in the Dominion Post that in a recent survey, Britain was valued at 5 trillion pounds sterling, while 93% of finance workers in the City of London wanted out of their jobs; meanwhile in a similar poll in New Zealand, 80% were satisfied and happy. New Zealand may be worth a lot less than Britain but it does have a far higher value. After 184 days on this boat, aged 65, I'd rather not die, knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.




Over a supper of boeuf bourguignon (before the fresh meat goes off) in the aft cockpit, patches of blue sky came first, then the fog blew away and we had as many as seven albatrosses off our stern until it grew dark. The finest bird of all had a fresh dark, dark-grey body and wing-tops to match, his head was shining-white in the setting sun. When he banked, he showed his snowy-white under-wings tipped with black. Brent took a couple of superb digital shots of him with his giant lens and told us this was a juvenile Wandering Albatross. It is this bird I wish to become when I die. I never want to grow up. I've met a few rather puffed-up grown-ups on the ''vaunteth-not itself'' scale, in the past year!




After supper, Francois cut Igor's hair: the Latin Watch are now cloned French Plantagenets (this is how Francois spells it). Where will this lead the Entente Cordiale?



Into the mist...



John Ridgway

Date: Tuesday 27 January 2004

Day: 185, (This Leg Day 4)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 44/50'S 177/39'W

Position relative to land: 4,239 nm to Cape Horn

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 110 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 411 nautical miles

Total distance from Ardmore: 15,661 miles

Course: 097T

Speed: 5-6 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 4,719 nm

Wind: SSE F4, (11-16 knots)

Sea: Slight sea, a bit forward of the beam, some white horses.

Barometer: 1023 steady

Air Temp: 19C, Wind chill 11C

Sea temp: 16 C

Cloud cover: 100%

Bird sightings (At 1200): Sooty and Buller's Shearwaters, Whote-faced and Grey-backed Storm Petrels, White-chinned Petrel, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Chatham, Pacific, Northern and Southern Royal, Antipodean, and Gibson's Albatross.



Notes: 0320. The Latin Squad is on the 0200-0400 Graveyard Watch: A large phosphorescent elongated shape, some 6-7 metres long, ghosts into view close by the boat and passes slowly away out on starboard quater.



We're pondering on the best course for Cape Horn, some 4,000 miles ahead. After the trials of Cape Town to Melbourne most would prefer to keep just north of 50S and hope for warmer weather, even though it means going some 470 miles further than if we take a composite great circle course, which would lead us into the icebergs of 65 S. Fortunately, SE winds don't give us much option just now: we head east, close hauled on a slight sea at a little under 6 knots.



Passing 40 miles south of the Chatham Islands, we had 16 Northern Royal Albatrosses off the stern after supper at 1930hrs.



With four people sleeping on the six available berths in the forward sleeping compartment, we are able to keep the Saloon clean and homely for the off-duty watch during the day. After sleeping aboard for 183 of the past 185 days, the Saloon is pretty much home for us at present. With no-one sleeping in the Saloon for the first time since Cape Town, there does seem to be much more room and we all need "space"!




Into the mist...



John Ridgway

Date: Wednesday 28 January 2004

Day: 186, (This Leg Day 5)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 44/52'S 177/39'W

Position relative to land: 90 mm SE of Chatham Islands,

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 118 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 529 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 15,779 miles

Course: 097T

Speed: 5-6 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 4,660 nm

Wind: ESE F2, (4-6 knots)

Sea: Calm with long swell from SW.

Barometer: 1026 steady

Air Temp: 19C, Wind chill 11C

Sea temp: 16 C

Cloud cover: 100%

Bird sightings (At 1200): Broadb-billed Prion, Grey-backed and White-faced Storm Petresl, Soft-plumaged and Black-winged Petrels, White-chinned Petrel, Prion sp, Chatham, Pacific, Northern Royal, Gibnson's, Antipodean and Selvin's albatross, Sooty Shearwater.



Notes: "What a Day! And its only just begun!" Chortled the tousle-haired, be-ear-ringed, soon-to-shave Brent. Literally jumping with joy in the aft-cockpit at 0600. "Has he done much teamwork?" I wondered. The boat is a home and it has to be kept up to scratch or the muttering begins. ("Have we become just a mobile bird-hide?") But for now, Soft Plumage Petrel, Black Winged Petrel, Broad-Billed Prion, Little Shearwater and the whole panoply of Albatrosses keep our new resident real Birder on cloud nine.



As Graham Taylor promised, the Chatham Rise has produced the richest variety and quantity of seabirds we've encountered since leaving Cape Town.



New Zealand is truly the Seabird Capital of the World and it is wonderful to see how New Zealanders do value their environment. It is difficult to imagine poor tortured Tony Blair turning out to help save an over-the-horizon Albatross in gridlock Britain. But what's life for?



The boat's in very good shape, thanks to Gordon and Jillian McDougall, Chris Sturrock and Blake Cameron. Now we have a "getting set for Cape Horn" Job List.



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Wednesday 28 January 2004 (again)

Day: 188, (This Leg Day 6)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 45/08'S 173/03'W

Position relative to land: 140 mm SE of Chatham Islands, 4,170 W of Cape Horn

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 68 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 597 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 15,847 miles

Course: 125T

Speed: 6.1 knots
Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 4,630 nm

Wind: SSw F3-4, (7-16 knots)

Sea: Light sea with small waves and somne swell from the SW

Barometer: 1029 steady

Air Temp: 20C, Wind chill 19 C

Sea temp: 15.7 C

Cloud cover: 70%

Bird sightings (At 1200): Broadb-billed Prion, Grey-backed and White-faced Storm Petresl, Soft-plumaged and Black-winged Petresl, White-chinned Petrel, Prion sp, Chatham, Pacific, Northern Royal, Gibnson's, Antipodean and Selvin's albatross, Sooty Shearwater.



Notes:


We are past 180 degrees W and still on UTC+13 for New Zealand summer Time; now we have to start going the other way adding an hour for every 15 degrees of Longitude until we regain 0 degrees on the Greenwich Meridian once more. And for a start, we must have a 2nd 28 January.



We are already almost a week into this very long Leg, 5000nm + from Wellington to the Falklands via Cape Horn and everyone is settling down well. I think we did underestimate the extra difficulties involved in taking aboard complete strangers, without any interest in or experience of sailing. But at the same time this has broadened our own experience along the way.



To make the most of the voyage we each need to see the best in our companions. Nick's eyes shining with enthusiasm, Igor's generosity, Francois's sunny smile and Brent's huge enthusiasm and good nature. Making only 68 miles in the calm conditions of the past 24 hours, only highlights the need to keep busy.



Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Thursday 29 January 2004

Day: 189, (This Leg Day 7)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 46/43'S 170/24'W

Position relative to land: 800 nm east of Dunedin, NZ, 4,009 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 130 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 597 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 15,847 miles

Course: 125T

Speed: 6.1 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 4,469 nm

Wind: SW F4-5, (11-21 knots)

Sea: Moderate sea slowly building, some white horses, swell from SW

Barometer: 1024 falling

Air Temp: 20 C, wind chill 16

Sea temp: 14.9 C

Cloud cover: 80%

Bird sightings (At 1200):



Notes: An interesting day, though the Albatrosses are rather diminished after the heady days off the Chatham Rise.



We had strong winds and enough motion to put Brent off his tucker but he battled bravely on, perking up at any mention of a possible sighting of a different sub species.



In the morning Francois made a really good job of sealing any possible leaks in the deck and in the afternoon he had the old Panda going in a way which has defeated engineers in Tenerife, Cape Town, Melbourne and Welllington. But it's early days yet: he points to areas of previous damage...



Meanwhile Spiderman Nick has returned, after a month ashore in Australia and all the better for a few pounds of extra flesh on him. His huge reach soon had our ancient baggy-wrinkle (6 mops of fibres from old JRAS climbing ropes) rigged on the aft lowers. Now we will be able to ease the mainsail further out when running downwind ands avoid chafe on the wires of the standard rigging.




Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Friday 30 January 2004

No Log posted for this day

Date: Saturday 31 January 2004

Day: 191, (This Leg Day 9)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 47/32'S 163/45'W

Position relative to land: 3,740 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 140 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 997 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 16,247 miles

Course: 110T

Speed: 6.8 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 4,199 nm

Wind: SW 6, (22-27 knots)

Sea: Rough, big swell from SW

Barometer: 1014 steady

Air Temp: 18C, with wind chill 12C

Sea temp: 13.6 C

Cloud cover: 75%

Bird sightings (At 1200): White-headed, Soft-plumaged, Mottled,
White-chinned Petrel, Sooty Shearwater. Grey-backed Storm Petrel,
Black-browed and Antipodean Albatrosses, Prion sp.



Notes: Going well. Averaged 135nm/day for the past three days. Blue, blue
skies with occasional rain squalls, running nicely on a single sail, the No
2 Yankee, flying high in the bows. One single rope, an 18mm blue and white
fleck terylene multiplait sheet is pulling the boat along at a steady 6+
knots, day after day. There is little movement from the drum-tight sail, so
minimum chafe.



I'm putting the circumpolar track of the Albatross on the great ocean
plotting charts for the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific charts. The same
charts I used for my ill-fated attempt to be the first to sail alone
non-stop around the world, in 1968. They already bear the tracks of my two
previous circumnavigations in this boat in 1976/7 and 1983/4.



Down at the bottom of the old chart of the South Pacific is written:



"Provisions and clothes depots are established at Macquarie Island:-

1. At the top of the beach in Ballast Bay north eastward of New Finer Creek

2. In a cave at the southern end of Stars Gulch.

3. In Lusitania Bay about half a mile south of Rains Pt.



So, if you are ever shipwrecked down this way, you know where to go!



Into the mist...



John Ridgway

Date: Sunday 1 February 2004

Day: 192, (This Leg Day 10)

Local time: 1200 GMT+13

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 47/46'S 160/03'E

Position relative to land: 3,598 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 145 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 1,142 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 16,247 miles

Course: 106T

Speed: 5.9 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 4,054 nm

Wind: SW 4-5, (11-21 knots)

Sea: Moderate sized waves, many white horses, very blue in the sunlight

Barometer: 1017 rising

Air Temp: 15C, with wind chill 9C

Sea temp: 13.7 C

Cloud cover: 50%

Bird sightings (At 1200): White-headed, Soft-plumaged, White-chinned Petrels; Sooty Shearwater, Little Shearwater; Grey-backed Storm Petrel; Prion sp; Sub-Antarctic Skua; Pacific, Northern Royal, Campbell, Antipodean, Gibson's Albatrosses. *Southern Right Whale Dolphin



Notes: MC and I came on watch at 0600. After days of feeling aand looking pretty mouldy, Brent lingered a little; instead of rushing to his bunk, he kept on looking for birds. "Oh, Yes!!!Four Southern Right Whale Dophins" this is the only Dolphin without a dorsal fin, they leap across the waves like penguins. Brent soared to ectasy - his photographs gave him a treasure for life. "I think that is the best thing I have ever seen in my life" he told us over lunch." And this from the man who along with his chum "Sav" Saville re-discovered the New Zealand Storm Petrel, 150 years after it was thought extinct. This seems to be about as close as you'll get to Charles Darwin and his indigestion, in the 21st Century.



Iridium have just revealed they gave us the wrong phone number by one digit. This accounts for no incoming phone calls for a couple of months including Christmas and New Year. Just a little test. Our new Sat phone number is therefore: +8816 315 23952.



Into the mist...



John Ridgway

Date: Monday 2 February 2004

Day: 193, (This Leg Day 11)

Local time: 1200 GMT+11

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 47/57'S 156/28'W

Position relative to land: 3,461 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 137 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 1,279 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 16,529 miles

Course: 085T

Speed: 6.6 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 3,917 nm

Wind: SW 5-6, (17-27 knots)

Sea: Moderate 3m swell from South-West, many white horses, very grey.

Barometer: 1020 steady

Air Temp: 12C, with wind chill 6C

Sea temp: 13.6 C

Cloud cover: 100%

Bird sightings (At 1200): Sub-Antarctic Skua, Little and Sooty Shearwater, White-headed, Soft Plumaged and White-chinned Petrel, Grey-backed Storm Petrel, Gibson's, Antipodean, and Campbell Albatrosses, Prion sp.



Notes: Midnight,the first moonlit night MC and I have seen since leaving Wellington. It was well on its way to sinking into the western horizon but enough light remained for us to see milk-bottle sized luminous squid floating by, greenish-yellow and close to the surface. "Just the stuff for Albatrosses" grinned Brent later, at lunch, he is looking much better today. "The Ladies of Manchester may worry no more!" he chortles, more likes his old self and rubbing a clean-shaven chin. Only yesterday, just such a Lady had murmured concern over the phone, nervous about his erratic shaving record, it's nice to think she may rest easy....for now.



At 1300, Igor noted 11 Albatrosses all landed for a chat. I remember a fellow falling overboard, a little to the south of here, on the Whitbread Round World Race 1977/8. When they fished him out, he said a lot of Albatrosses had landed by him too but I think he thought it was lunch they were looking for.



The "Preparations for Cape Horn" job list is down to half a dozen minor things and the three two-man Watches are looking not too bad at this stage. Maybe we are not in too bad shape.



The birds seen each day are listed above.



Into the mist



John Ridgway

Date: Tuesday 3 February 2004

Day: 194, (This Leg Day 12)

Local time: 1200 GMT+10

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 47/54'S 152/47'W

Position relative to land: 3,325 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 140 nautical

miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 1,419 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 16,669 miles

Course: 106T

Speed: 4.9 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 3,777 nm

Wind: SW 3-4, (7-16 knots)

Sea: Light sea but moderate 3-4m swell from the SW

Barometer: 1020 steady

Air Temp: 10C, with wind chill 6C

Sea temp: 13.6 C

Cloud cover: 100%

Bird sightings over the day: Sub-Antarctic Skua, Little and Sooty
Shearwater, White-headed, Soft Plumaged and White-chinned Petrel,
Grey-backed Storm Petrel, Antipodean and Campbell Albatrosses, Prion sp.



Notes: The wind dropped away in the forenoon, the end of a good 6-day run
of over 800 miles.



For six hours we went nowhere. Inactivity is not Francois's bag. With
steady rain, two or three White Chinned Petrels wheeled across the stern as
it grew dark.



Francois suggested we hang a light over the side and try fishing for squid.
The water's a couple of miles deep here, just enough for a fair sized
specimen. Imagine a tentacle, thick as the Eiffel Tower, bursting up and
bearing Francois and Igor below in a single sucker. Unfortunately a new NE
wind blew up before the experiment could be carried out but it's a definite
starter for the next lull.



Instead we are nodding SE, awaiting a Low which is creeping across the
Weather fax towards us. It is still 2,000 miles to 49 South 100 West. Once
there, we plan a 960 mile slant SE to bring us to a point 300 miles due
west of Cape Horn. From there we should have a straight run at our old
kayaking haunt...never was I more afraid than when I wobbled along under
those cliffs, with Rebecca leading the way.



Into the mist......



John Ridgway

Date: Wednesday 4 February 2004

Day: 195, (This Leg Day 13)

Local time: 1200 GMT+10

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 48/28'S 151/34'W

Position relative to land: 3,267 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 58 nautical miles
Distance sailed this Leg: 1,477 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 16,727 miles

Course: 102T

Speed: 1.2 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 3,719 nm

Wind: Variable NW

Sea: Light sea, confused low swell from multiple directions

Barometer: 1017 rising

Air Temp: 15C, with wind chill 14C

Sea temp: 13.6 C

Cloud cover: 100% - fog

Bird sightings over the day:Mottled, White-headed, White-chinned and soft-plumaged Petrel, Grey-backed Storm Petrel, Little Shearwater and Sub-Antarctic Skua. (No Albatrosses! Perhaps due to lack of wind?)



Notes: Light NE wind has us nodding gently SE. We don't want to go any further South for fear of having the oncoming Low pass to the North of us. If it does we will get strong easterly winds. If we manage to keep to the north of the Low we will get strong westerly winds to push us on toward Cape Horn.



Daylight brought fog, created by wind coming from warmer parts, passing over colder water (13C) in this area. The sea literally 'steams' so the wind doesn't blow the fog away.



After lunch the breeze veered north and gently built through the afternoon, allowing us to head due east in the thick fog.



The Latin squad meanwhile, which had been gazing over the side and dreaming of Calamari Risotto, returned to the scrubbing of the heads and this helped rebuild the cordiality of some ententes.



Brent felt strong enough to have a first dabble at the washing up and so his watch-mate Nick, began to feel a little more cordial on day 13.



MC, who does most of the cleaning and all the cooking rates people by how hard they find it to say 'thank you' for a hot meal.



The crew comprises Peru, NZ, France, Aus, UK. Five more weeks in the pressure cooker, before Falklands and we are pretty well set up.



Into the mist......



John Ridgway

Date: Thursday 5 February 2004

Day: 196, (This Leg Day 14)

Local time: 1200 GMT-9

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'

Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 48/21'S 148/50'W

Position relative to land: 3,167 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 110 nautical miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 1,587 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 16,837 miles

Course: 091T

Speed: 8.1 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 3,609 nm

Wind: Northerly F4-5 (11-21 knots)

Sea: Moderate sea on beam, rising, white caps, swell from NW growing

Barometer: 1013 dropping rapidly

Air Temp: 12C, with wind chill 6C

Sea temp: 13.6 C

Cloud cover: 100% Very grey and overcast.

Bird sightings over the day: Antipodean, Gibson's, Black-browed, Campbell
and Pacific Albatrosses; White-chinned, Soft-plumaged, White-headed
Petrels; Prion sp.; Probable Black-legged Petrel; Grey-backed Storm-petrel.



Notes: Cold wet fog, thicker than ever, when we came on at 0600.



We hear UK just can't get round to ratifying 'ACAP', the 'Agreement to
Conserve Albatrosses and Petrels'. (Huge crash as a wave breaks over the
boat). Lawyers just can't get round to agreeing whether UK Government or EU
are empowered in this matter. The British Albatrosses, those unlucky enough
to be hatched on Falklands, Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia etc, will
continue to be vulnerable.



The only self-employed people who could survive years of this havering,
would be Conference Organisers and Lawyers!



Then the fog cleared and the wind picked up. Soon we were down to storm
sails. Granny and Grampa are beginning to feel a bit like like that sparky
fellow who lived up that tree to prevent the Newbury By-Pass and later dug
himself under the new runway at Manchester Airport. And as retired crofters
we've got even less to lose than him. I think I'm going to puke - but I'm
not sure it's the the sea-sickness this time.



Just think about it.



Into the mist......



John Ridgway

Date: Friday 6 February 2004

Day: 197, (This Leg Day 15)

Local time: 1200 GMT-9

Leg Number and name: Leg 5, 'The Royal'
Focus of leg: Mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies


Position - Latitude, Longitude: 48/24'S 145/33'W

Position relative to land: 3,036 nm west of Cape Horn

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 130 nautical
miles

Distance sailed this Leg: 1,717 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 16,967 miles
Course: 092T

Speed: 5.9 knots

Next Port: Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Approx distance to next port: 3,479 nm

Wind: Westerly F5 (16-21 knots)

Sea: Moderate and growing westerly swell of 2-3 metres with whitecaps

Barometer: 1004 rising

Air Temp: 16C, with wind chill 12C

Sea temp: 13.6 C

Cloud cover: 75%

Bird sightings over the day:
- Antipodean, Gibson's, Black-browed, Selvin's and Pacific Albatrosses;
- White-chinned, White-headed, Grey-backed, Giant, Soft-plumaged, Grey,
Spegnegers Petrels;
- Little and Sooty Shearwaters;
- Thin-billed Prion. Prion sp.


Notes:
Foggy until just after 0600 when it cleared to blue sky. MC and I took down
Mainsail and Mizensail leaving just the two head sails towing us along by
the nose and causing us to roll a lot. With the sore rib this makes sleep
difficult.



Fifteen days out of Wellington and half way along latitude 49S to longitude

100W where we turn SE for the 1260 miles to Cape Horn. The weather is mild
and the crew are settling into the long haul. For Francois and Brett it
will seem a surprisingly long time as lack of clean clothes and showers
begin to take their toll.



Francois in his red suit and outsize white boots looks like a Russian
cosmonaut. He struggles with English conversations taking place between
other members of the crew. Highly regarded for his rapid reactions, he
appears to have tamed the Panda. He has that generator running for an hour
a day - like clockwork - on manual start. Out here that is a giant achievement.


He looks like a pretty good egg to me, is this possible in a Frenchman?



Into the mist......



John Ridgway

Now go on to the next two weeks 7-20 February 2004 as we head on down into the Southern Ocean.

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