Stopover - Tower Bridge, London

Date: Wednesday 16 June 2004

Day: 328,

Local time: 1200 GMT

Leg Number: Calais - Tower Bridge

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: Alongside HMS President




Notes: Polishing up the boat. We did a check on the plans for the sail
under Tower Bridge tomorrow. The Bridge jammed 'up' last week and hydraulic fluid from the burst pipes went all over the place. London's traffic was truly halted for 24 hours.



Earlier, a boat had hit the Bridge; mis-judging the tide it was swept onto
the rising roadways before they were fully raised. If we make a similar mistake the old shippy may not be making it back to Ardmore after all.



And a couple of days later a big super-yacht was damaged hitting the St
Katherine's Lock, again misjudging the tide at the entrance. We'll be on our toes!



Into the mist...John.

Date: Thursday 17 June 2004

Day: 329,



Notes: Blimey! This is it! A phrenetic young power lady spent hours and
hours, last night and this morning, trying to get her satellite laptop gear to work across this jaded town to BBC's Today studio. "Please, Please" she pleaded with the Producer "Let me do it - it'll be a fun piece!" Day 329.
Meanwhile the minutes tick away to the Bridge lifting at 1100 and the
racing brown tides tugs at the mooring lines. Our nerves stretch tighter than the lines.



"How shall I describe you?" the unseeing eyes blink at me through the
contact lenses, "You crewed for Chay Blyth sailing round the world? Right?"



"I'd prefer it if you didn't say that" I grinned "Relax, or you'll hit the bridge" I said to myself.



Then we were through - a couple of minutes at the tail end of Today News. 329 days.



But shooting through Tower Bridge was so exciting. With the Mainsail up in a strong gusty wind and just a narrow gap between the raising road ways. The precious relaxation of recklessness. Egg everywhere just waiting to rain down on my face.



Day 329. The Albatross.



Back to the pier. Champagne and photos and words for newspapers which will thrill tomorrow and wrap fish and chips the day after.



Then into the tube for our long-waited re-union with Marie-Christine's
Mother who has been such an example to me in my life.



Late tube back to the boat, heeding the warning not to get thrashed by
roaming 'Steamers', maybe some new kind of clockwork orange gang. Trouble with me is I'm a tough paratrooper. That's what they say. But really I'm frightened of the dark and cry in the movies. My back's killing me and I'd be terrified of Steamers. Day 329. The Albatross.



Into the mist...John.

Date: Friday 18 June 2004

Day: 330

Local time: 1200 GMT

Leg Number:

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: In St Katherine's Dock

Distance travelled in last 24hrs:

Distance sailed this Leg:

Total distance from Ardmore: 28,470 miles (52,726km)

Course:

Speed:

Next Port: Ardmore


Notes:



The Reception given by RSPB/BirdLife was a success for the old bird.



Andy and Mike Lezala with Chris Jelley started things with an unforgettable live performance of their 'Save the Albatross' song. Plus a new last verse.



The 4 Musketeers Nick, Igor, MC and I sat in our red waterproof trousers on top of the Saloon.



Graham Wynne CEO of RSPB read out Prince Charles's very thoughtful letter about the plight of the Albatross.

I did my best but overcome with emotion had to stop. Mascara flooded the marquee. Everyone was embarassed but at least I wasn't sick all over everyone.



Elliot Morley, Minister for the Environment, impressed everyone with his sincere effort for the Albatross. (It was he who launched the Save the Albatross Campaign at the beginning).



John Croxall of British Antarctic survey was at his best, despite having changed in the car on the way from Heathrow after his plane from America was delayed.



Marie Christine said a few spirited words to round things off.



It was such a treat to have four generations of the family present. It
meant so much to Marie Christine and me.



And then it was over. Thank you all so much for coming...



Into the mist...John.

Date: Saturday 19 June 2004

Day: 331

Local time: 1200 BST (UTC +1)

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: In St Katherine's Dock

Total distance from Ardmore: 28,470 miles (52,726km)

Next Port: Ardmore


Notes:



Still pretty hyped-up with the excitement of actually managing to sail
under Tower Bridge at 1100 Thursday 17 June 2004 after sailing out of Loch Laxford on Sunday 27 July 2003.



The whole thing was simply a personal statement which I have been trying to make for very many years. And I did it. Completely owing to Marie Christine. And with solid gold support from Nick from the moment we sailed from home. And Igor who has battled on ever since he joined us in Cape Town.



I was so thrilled to see Matthew Parris had written a piece in The Times today. I have never met him but I have read his stuff for many years. I always admired his personal bravery. We share different struggles. I was looking for where he stayed in Kerguelen four years back.



He is the only writer in the world, in fact, who could have written about the Albatross the way he did today. He had to have seen the albatross the way he did, where he did.



From my personal point of view. What Matthew wrote today expresses exactly what I feel but can't express. It matters nothing, if nothing is ever written about me again, ever. That is the statement I wished to make. I am ready for death.



Thanksalotty.



Into the mist...John.

Date: Sunday 20 June 2004

Day: 332

Local time: 1200 BST (UTC +1)

Leg Number:

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: In St Katherine's Dock

Total distance from Ardmore: 28,470 miles (52,726km)

Next Port: Ardmore

Bird sightings over the day: 2 Resident Swans, Moorhens, Mallard


Notes:



A quiet Sunday in St. Katharine's Dock. Some friends came to our home on the boat, here in the heart of London. And we drank tea among the flowers people have given us. It feels secure here, not a ripple, shelter from city buildings on all four sides. Only swans and moorhens disturb the calm brown waters.



From across the dock at night, lying against the VIP pontoon, with a low white building acting as a floodlit, graciously pillared back-drop, English Rose looks like a 1950's National Geographic advert for Frigidaire or Buick. Son et lumiere or what? "What Larks, Pip!" This is just how I always thought life would turn out.



"What are you doing next week?"
"Oh, I'm going to speak at the United Nations in Rome." (Am I?)



Into the mist...John.

Date: Monday 21 June 2004

Day: 333

Local time: 1200 BST (UTC +1)

Leg Number:

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: In St Katherine's Dock

Total distance from Ardmore: 28,470 miles (52,726km)

Next Port: Ardmore

Bird sightings over the day: 2 Resident Swans, Moorhens, Mallard, 3 white Duck


Notes:



Now preparing for the final leg of the voyage - from London to Ardmore. We plan to sail out of St. Katharine's Yacht Haven at 06.20 on Saturday 26 June. What a grand place this has been for us. Both Nick and Igor have been with their families, away from the boat. So, for Marie Christine and me, rather surprisingly, this time in the centre of London has really been the quietest time of the whole voyage.



Hopefully on Saturday morning, we will motor down the 45 miles to the sea on the one 6-hour ebb tide. After that we will try and sail up the East coast of Britain, through the sandbanks and oil rigs to find a way through the Pentland Firth and along the North coast of Scotland to Cape Wrath. Loch Laxford is only 15 miles down the West coast of Scotland.



Into the mist...John.

Date: Tuesday 22 June 2004

Day: 334

Local time: 1200 BST (UTC +1)

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: In St Katherine's Dock

Total distance from Ardmore: 28,470 miles (52,726km)

Next Port: Ardmore

Bird sightings over the day: 2 Resident Swans, Moorhens, Mallard, 3 white Duck

Notes:



To our great surprise, Ward and Nathaniel ('Sanel') Irvin from Charleston, South Carolina, appeared on the dock at 1000 this
morning. They were Instructors at JRSA in Ardmore back in 1997. They have flown over from New York and it looks as if they will be on the crew from London to Ardmore. I will give more details later
but I understand a rough outline of their present situation is as follows: Ward(30) is now a First Lieutenant in a Mountain
infantry force in the US Army, he is on leave from Afghanistan. Sanel(29) has completed his training and is now a film cameraman in New York. I look forward to hearing of their many adventures since 1997. Will they be able to take direction?



Marie Christine and I hope to fly to Rome at 1215 on Wednesday 23 June to present the Petition to the UN on 24 or 25 June.

Thank you so much for signing it. Who knows how it will turn out...



I think Nick Grainger should write the Log for Wednesday 23 June and
Thursday 24 June as we will be unable to file from Rome.



What on earth will he write about?


Into the mist...John.

Date: Wednesday 23 June 2004

Day: 335

Local time: 1200 BST (UTC +1)

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: In St Katherine's Dock

Total distance from Ardmore: 28,470 miles (52,726km)

Next Port: Ardmore

Bird sightings over the day: 2 Resident Swans, Moorhens, Mallard, 3 white Ducks


Notes:

It's all about the Albatross. Today John and Marie Christine flew to Rome to await the opportunity to present the Petition to the UN meeting. It bears more than 103,000 of your signatures. Your support with this really has made it all worthwhile.



Meanwhile, back at the office in central London aboard English Rose V1 in St Katherine's Dock, we've been weathering the worst June storm in England in 150 years. Wet and windy. Wild by London standards. Good Albatross weather. One week earlier and our trip up the Channel and Thames might have been very interesting indeed.



We're on the count down to the final leg back to Ardmore. We sail as soon as the boss gets back. My wife Tomoko departed today. New crew members Ward and Sanel arrived from the US. Bob Duncan joins us on Friday from Zimbawbwee, Igor from Somerset.



I'm doing final maintenance and stores shopping. The last leg. It's all
nearly over. Or is it?



Nick Grainger

Date: Thursday 24 June 2004

Day: 336

Local time: 1200 BST (UTC +1)

Leg Number:

Position - Latitude, Longitude: Tower Bridge, London

Position relative to land: In St Katherine's Dock

Total distance from Ardmore: 28,470 miles (52,726km)

Next Port: Ardmore

Approx distance to next port:

Bird sightings over the day: 2 Resident Swans, Moorhens, Mallard, 3 white Ducks


Notes:

When the cat's away... Well Nev (yes good old Nev Roberts from Australia) and I spent the morning playing with the winches; stripping them, washing out the accumulated salt of the last 12,000 miles, re-greasing and re-assembling. They're a vital aid to controlling the large sails aboard English Rose V1 and in heavy weather become progressively gummed up.



But it's a mindless job and I got to thinking about one of John's central themes; Can one person make a difference?



Judging by the response in the London media, and the support for the
Petition, just maybe... By setting out to try, John caught the imagination of the many people needed to make such an idea, a reality. Without the buzz of actually being on the voyage, they gave their whole-hearted support. And in turn, 'made a difference'. They made it possible. People like Richard Creasey and Sam Semple who have put this Log up every day, 336 times so far, despite enormous changes in their own lives over this same time. And of course, in front of me, Nev, 16,776 kilometres from home and up to his elbows in grease. All on his own account too.



But will we make a difference? Can we create something that goes beyond the Albatross? Again, just maybe... A few days ago my not easily impressed 18 year old daughter Mariko wrote to me, "... you really are pretty crazy to most people, but to those who count, pretty inspirational (and that's all that matters!!!)."



John's determination to try, made a difference. Each of us can,
individually, if we try. A sobering thought sitting here in the middle of London.



Nick Grainger

Now go on to 25-30 June 2004, the final passage from London to Ardmore.

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