Archive of Leg 1 - Ardmore to Tenerife

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Below you'll find all previous log entries sent in from the crew of the English Rose V1 as they began their journey in Scotland sailing toward Antarctica to Save the Albatross! These are the logs from Leg 1 - Ardmore to Tenerife.

We've also archived all the log entries from Leg 2 and Leg 3 of the voyage. Leg 2 is called 'The Yellow-nosed' which charts the crew's journey from Tenerife to Cape Town, and Leg 3 is called 'The Wandering' which follows the journey from Cape Town to Melbourne.

And here you'll find the most recent Daily Log Updates from the boat as they come in.

Leg 1 - from Ardmore, Scotland to Tenerife

12 August 2003;
Alongside in the small harbour at Los Gigantes, Tenerife. Hot and bright
with little wind.

Note from Nick
  • Our local contact Steve Gilbert together with wife Monika rapidly organized
    some local experts to help us with a few minor problems (like John and MC‚s
    Heads).
  • Scotty departed for the airport and we met new recruit Marie-Louise Rogers
    ('Re to her friends) who will sail with us to Capetown and hopefully
    beyond. Marie has recently gained her RYA-MCA Yachtmaster (Ocean)
    certificate and has plenty of sailing experience. We'll hopefully get her
    bio up on the site soon.
  • We hope to depart Thursday 14 August for Capetown.

    • 11 August 2003; Day 16; Local time 1200; Position 28.27'N, 16.53'W; 7.6
    miles NW of Tenerife; CMG 195; Speed 7kn; Day's run over last 24hrs 168
    miles; Total distance from Ardmore 2165 miles; Destination Tenerife;
    Distance to destinaion 7.6 miles; Pressure 1027; wind ENE F5, cloud cover
    35%; Sea temp 24.6C; Light SE'ly a with some whitecaps.

    Note from John
  • We arrived.... Los Gigantes, Tenerife. Baking hot, the 12,000 Pico De Tede
    rears up to its snow capped summit ten miles inland.
  • We have our "Save the Albatross" banner on either side in giant red letters
    on white. Everyone stops and asks. Poor old albatross. Nobody knows...


    • John Ridgway


    10 August 2003;Day 15;1200;30.55N, 15.50'W;45 miles North of the Salvagen Islands;CMg 205M;6.5 knots;day's run 156 miles; total distance from Ardmore 1,997 miles;Destination Tenerife; Distance to Tenerife 163 miles; pressure 1030; Wind NNE 4-5, cloud 95%; sea temp 24.6 C; Growing swell from the North, some whitecaps.

  • It's now 16.30, we're now only 19.5nm NNE of Pequena Island, in the Selvagen group. A watching to avoid these low and uninhabited islands. Still 130nm NE of the western corner of Tenerife.
  • Numerous storm petrels and Shearwaters.
  • Our debate (endless) continues as to how we might encourage the Japanese to view the albatross with the same affection that they hold for the penguin.
  • Is there anyone reading our Save the Albatross web pages out there in Japan? Nick's wife is Japanese and he thinks we should try and make affection for the albatross become fashionable for young Japanese. Enthuse young people to wear 'I love albatrosses' pins, that sort of thing. And if we could persuade China,Taiwan,Korea, and Indonesia to follow suit - why then we should be winning.
  • Has anyone any ideas?
  • Into the mist...


    • John

    Sat 9 August 2003;1200;Day 14;33.28'N,14.45'W;100 miles ENE of Madeira;CMG 206M; Speed
    5.4 knots; last 24hrs 140 miles; total distance since Ardmore 1,841 miles;
    Destination Tenerife; 330 miles to go; pressure 1031; wind NNE F4 15 knots;
    cloud 75%; sea temp 24.2C; light sea with a few white caps; Saw turtle today.

  • Notes from John; We have been at sea a couple of weeks now. We're settling in
    for the long haul.
  • Scott is leaving us in Tenerife. Too seasick.
  • Three of us, Marie Christine (59), Nick Grainger (53), and me (65) will sail the
    boat on the six week passage to Capetown. Three good men will join us there,
    where our Albatross circumnavigation will start and finish.
  • Though the nearest Albatross is probably 3,000 miles from us still, much is
    going on ashore.
  • Carol Knutson and Barry Weeber of Forest and Bird New Zealand, are keen to host
    a worldwide petition to save the albatross which I hope to present to the United
    Nations Fisheries Committee in Rome in June 2004.
  • We hope a notice about the petition will be put on the Birdlife International
    web site as well as on the websites of all their country member organisations,
    with hyperlinks back to the host website of Forest and Bird NZ, and of course to
    our own BBC H2G2 web pages.
  • We didn't come all this way just to powder our noses.
  • More tomorrow.
  • Into the mist....


    • John


    Friday 8 August 2003;13;1200;35.43'N,13.50'W;400 miles due west of the Straits of Gibraltar; 206M;4.8 knots;day's run 117 miles;1699 miles covered; 467 miles to tenerife;pressuren1029;NNE F3 12kts; cloud 8/16 very hazy;sea temp 24.2C; light sea with a few white caps;

  • Notes:NE wind has paled and sun is hot. We struggle to make 5 knots thru a Desert - no fish, no birds, no dolphins.
  • Still under twin headsails our laden boat gently swings like a hot air balloon.
  • The race is on to eat the fruit and veg. Daft to bring oranges and tomatoes back to the Canaries.
  • As well as the nightly drama of possible collision, John's and my Heads (toilet) is seizing up. Could there be some link with our high fibre diet? A bucket in the Southern Ocean is a terrible prospect.
  • Nick perseveres night and day with improving our communications, his latest focus being the recalcitrant weather fax. All just teething problems.


    • Marie Christine

    7 August 2003;1200;Leg 1 etc;Position 37.36'N,13.00'W;195 miles west of Cape St Vincent, S Portugal;CMG 204M;Speed 6.4 knots;over last 24 hrs 146 miles;total distance since Ardmore 1583 miles;Destination Tenerife; DTG 590 miles;pressure 1032;wind NE F5 18 knots;cloud cover 0/16 but very hazy;sea temp 23.4;sea condx becoming blue, steady following sea with some white caps;

  • Notes from John... Strong sun and white crests as NE Trade wind blows us directly towards Tenerife under twin poled out headsails.
  • Still no birds at all. Perhaps there never were?
  • Close encounter with a ship last night. Under the almost 'square rig' of poled out twin head sails we are very limited for maneuvering.
  • Closing at a combined speed of some 25 knots, Nick's face glowing in the light of the radar screen, the ship crossed the four mile ring as I came up on deck at Scotty's 0400 call. "Where are you" a voice grunted in broken English over the VHF. I turned on the deck floodlights and he bore away. What larks.
  • We could be in Tenerife in 4 days, Monday 13 August. A few things to do there then push on to Capetown.


    • John

    6 August 2003;Day 11;local time 1200;39.59'N, 12.12'W; 150 miles NW of Lisbon, Portugal;CMG 189;Speed 7.3 knots;last 24 hrs 149; total distance traveled 1436 miles;Destination Tenerife; 733 miles to go; Pressure 1034;NE F6, 20 knots; cloud 15/16;sea temp 22.6;sea condx light but growing following sea,some whitecaps; bowling along now under twin yankees poled out on either side of the mast making good speed ahead of a slowly building NE'ly.

  • Slipping down the coast of Portugal. Not wholly unsatisfactory.
  • Unique Jonathon Livingstone Seagull opportunities do present themselves.
  • Out here we are unable to view the website. What is needed ashore is one pro-active man or woman of vision from somewhere in the wide world to fan these now glowing embers into a bonfire blaze.
  • Link that Dutch composer and that Argentine fly fisherman. Swell the chorus. It's more than dipping into the pocket to fund executives fly around the world.
  • Sparks from the bonfire will produce their own innovative solutions.
  • You can see the opportunity. Look in the mirror. These are early days but the light glimmers. Seize the day.
  • If the symbolic albatross dies, it's looking very likely, your kid gets it.


    • Into the mist...


    John

    PS. Astonishing to think this is put on the BBC website by Richard Creasey from his Dacha outside Moscow.


    Lift it!

    5 August 2003;day 10; local time 1200; same Leg; same focus etc; 42.32N,11..57'W; 120 miles west of Vigo, Spain; Course 189M; 6.8 knots; day's run 149 miles, total dist sailed so far 1287 miles; Dest. Tenerife; 882 miles remaining; pressure 1035; Wind NNW F3, 7.5 knots; cloud 16/16; sea temp 20.9; sea condx smooth.



    Note from John Ridgway...

  • 120 miles off the NW corner of Spain. Heading South.
  • Birds: A few Shearwaters and Storm Petrels. A sparrow sized grey insect eater rested on port bow low rail while hunting passing flying insects. Stayed 4 hours in the afternoon.
  • Remarks: Plagued by calms and uniform grey sky, Marie Christine unkeen to drink own dishwater. I am mildly surprised, as for 40 years she as been boiling eggs in cooking rice. I believe my inside to be lined with warts. What's a little dishwater?


    • John Ridgway

    Monday 4 August 2004;1200;Leg 1;Focus etc;45.00 North,12.03 West;160 miles off Cape Finistere, on the NW corner of Spain;Course 170T;Speed 4.7 knots;Day's run 135 miles;total dist sailed since Ardmore 1137 miles;headed to Tenerife,1024 miles to the south;pressure 1029;wind NE F2;cloud 16/16;Sea temp 19.3C;Sea condx small chop and confused swell causing us to roll around and throw the wind out of the sails;



    Notes:
  • The following NE wind had us bowling along through the night.
  • MC's Rosemary plant in it's clay pot full of earth blooming in the sunshine.
  • We will take on no more drinking water before we reach Capetown some 8 weeks from now. Water is strictly rationed. We clean our wooden feeding bowls with our fore fingers,swill them out with a little water and drink it.
  • Nick and Scott saw a UFO during the night (unidentified floating object). It came up on the radar but was unlit. Or was it just clutter?
  • We've streamed the towing generator and it's giving us up to 4 amps.
  • The highlight has been Scott's farming tales from Zimbabwe over coffee and Rita's cake. We hope we're not going to be like Scott and come back as a chicken.

    • John

    Sunday 3 August 2003 Day 8;1200;Leg 1 etc;Focus etc;47.10'N,12.37'W; 340 miles out off the Bay of Biscay;192T;6.7 knots; Day's run 122 miles;total distance sailed since Ardmore 1002 miles; Distance to Tenerife 1147 miles;pressure 1035;wind southerly,F2;cloud 2/16;air temp n/a; sea temp 18.9C;sea condx calm and smooth;Warm sun and hot curry, just west of Bay of Biscay. Sedate progress under 4 sails. tuna boats with their out-riggers lit up at night. Hawk resting on mizen mast head. Swarfega looks much like apricot jam, much frothing - thanks David!
    John

    2 August 2003;1200;Leg 1 etc;focus of leg etc;49.8'N,11.18'W;Cherbourg abeam (360 miles to the east);190T;6.5 knots (under motor);day's run 127 miles;880 miles from
    Ardmore;headed to Tenerife; distance to go (dtg) 1254 miles;pressure 1037 (very high);wind SSE F2; cloud 12/16;sea temp 17.2C;sea condx smooth with big long swell from the west; birds: Shearwater,Storm petrels,a few Fulmars,terns,also Portuguese Men of War, and large numbers of small (1" diameter) floating balls each encrusted with barnacles...lots of porpoises;Sunshine and a smooth blue sea have seen the wards closed on the hospital ship, a faint pulse has been detected in Scotty's neck,shorts have been broken out,sandwiches cut for lunch and highland jigs ordered by the Chieftain. Nick

    1 August 2003;1200;same;same;51.15',11.35';60 miles WSW of Fastnet Rock off SW
    Ireland;180T;7.3 knots;156 miles;653 miles;653 miles;same;1394 miles to
    Tenerife;1028;Westerly;15-30 knots;14/16;air temp n/a;sea temp 16.2;Big SW swell,lumpy,some,whitecaps; Beating to south against the prevailing SW'ly at 6 to 8 knots, ERV1 is showing her power,easily handling it under two foresails and the reefed mainsail. Down below life is at 15-30 degrees, with violent surges and every move must be planned. Today Caassandra Wilson sings standards... Have now cleared Ireland and set a course for Tenerife,1,394 miles to the south

    31 July 2003;1200;53.55'N,11.28'W;45 miles west of Achill Island,west coast of Ireland;180T;6 knots;108 miles;497 miles;approx 1507 to Tenerife;headed to Tenerife;pressure 1020;WSW;Force 5;12/16;sea temp 15.5;sea lumpy;Today's comment from JR and MC "A black night on The Road to Perdition. Wretched and bumpy. Gusts to 50 knots. Just caught small craft warning of faint Shannon weather forecast. If only Nick could understand the meaning of seasickness. Poor Scotty under for a while. MC/JR groggy. Only 30,000 miles to go. Andrea Bocelli saves the day." Gannets,fulmars,storm petrels, shearwaters and various gulls plus dolphins sighted today.

    30 July 2003;1200;54.55'N,10.38'W;about 40 miles to the WNW of Eagle Rock of the NW Coast of Ireland;197T;2.7kn;day's run 99.6;total this leg 329.6;total since Ardmore 329.6;Tenerife;distance to go on this leg 1615 miles;WSW;Force 3;10/16;air temp n/a but about same as water temp i guess, 15.5C;sea condx light;Very changeable winds over last 24 hrs giving lots of sail changing exp. Small pod of Pilot whales alongside at dawn. Running watches 4 hours on and 4 off. MC and JR, Scott Simpson and myself. Now (1620) heading south at 7kns into fresh SW'ly under no 2 yankee, staysail and mainsail with 4 rolls in it. Planning to go onto the westerly tack after 6pm for the night to give Ireland a wider berth. Forecast is for 20-30 knots from the SW. Just had a piece of Rita Reynold's lovely lovely fruit cake mmmm!

    29 July 2003;1200;;56.20'N,8.11'W;70milesnorth of NW Ireland heading for the Atlantic;230T;7 knots;170nm;230nm;230;Tenerife; 1022 (presssure);SE;Force 4;High grey cloud;n/a; sea temp 16C;Smooth; lots of Fulmars,gannets,some porpoises, number of fishing boats and one large liner heading up the Minch. The crew is slowly getting into shape with multiple sail changes. Unfortunately the connection to the Iridium phone external aerial didn't survive one vigorous sail change in fresh condx. New location and external connection required. Repair will be attempted in warmer drier weather a bit further south. We had a great breeze from the SE for a few hours this morning and made good progress south west towards the open Atlantic but have now lost it and are tossing about on a lumpy grew sea 70 miles north of NW Ireland. Just had very filling lunch of pasta, cheese sauce, tomatoes, bread - now tossing up if we should start the engine again...

    27 July 2003;1200;Leg 1 The Yellow Nosed;Settling in and establishing comms;58 degrees 19 minutes north 5degrees 41minutes;midway across the Minch;260M;6 knots;20 miles;20miles;Tenerife;n/a;1016;SW;28 knots;8/16;n/a;n/a;Unfortunately we had a pretty bumpy sea on the nose which took a heavy toll on our eager crew;In view of the conditions it was seen to be prudent to seek shelter in the small haven of Marvig, on the east coast of the Hebridean Island of Lewis.

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