1640hrs 11 Dec 2005 UTC 43’34”S 145’33”E Ref 642
The Examiner closes doors abruptly and with rude abandon, but she opens windows – it’s a glorious clear moonlit night – the major stars, Venus has just set, mars up near the moon – the biggest silvery trail of reflections from the wavelets and the big swell alike. And warm enough to sit in the cockpit and absorb it all. And the spray!
Another taker for theLondonmarathon – onya Graham. Will be in touch. That makes five of us so far.
Three hours later and 60 miles to go – the wind has backed and eased and we are heading for SE Cape once again, motor sailing with the brightest phosphorescence I think I have ever seen surrounding us with ghostly radiance and trailing astern behind the propeller. ETA at SEC if this holds and we don’t run out of diesel will be at about 1500 today local time, 0400 utc. We will pass very close toSouthWestCapeand we will have to go aroundMaatsuykerIsland. I think there is a fishing boat to the north of us, just over the horizon – I see the loom of a light occasionally.
There will be at least two boats meeting us for a wave when we eventually get around the corner – they will be the first boats we have seen since the ship south of Africa and the first humans sinceFalmouth113 days ago. Can’t wait – hope they can – at least until we get there!
The logs ramblings can be cryptic, so we have added: