Various things – im going to try and do 2 tx per day may be hard to match your time zone. [Ed:Sydney time] can then waffle on in spare time and send all at once. seems youre doing much the same.[ed: I collect the various emails during the day and edit them into a text file to transmit each evening, and the do the same first thing each morning for the international followers. Transmissions are usually at about 0800 and 2100 each day] have checked and am well inside tx limit for the mo. [ed:we are limited by both time and cost as to how much text can transmitted to and from Berri. So far so good, so keep on emailing] if we get out of range, will try 1 satphone call per day with position and summary to you [ed: that means me I suspect!].
have been asked by several to describe the wildlife. assume that means outside the boat and not the ferals in my boots and elsewhere. i dead cockroach in bilge so far – seems it’s too hard even for them. Otherwise all seabirds – far more than i had expected – always several around, poss attracted by the whizzer we are towing to drive the aux alternator. first four:
– brown all over, yellowish beak, looks just like a crow side on but when it banks the gliders wings are obvious but not as extensive relatively as the albatrosses. about half to one metre span, mostly glides sedately. mutton bird?
– smaller, bright white underside greyish flecks on top except for trailing edge of squareish short tail over and under which are black, and upper leading edge of wing also black. black feet i think, creamy short beak, about 50cm span, shorter wider wings (lower aspect ratio) and it flaps them. wonderfully aerobatic in the hollows of the waves. occasionally parks on the water like the albatrosses.
– similar to above, a bit bigger, with black underside to wings, not as agile, wings a bit longer. havent had opportunity to observe more.
– theres a tiny black and white bird with short rounded wings that almost flaps with its wingtips in the water – havent seen one for a bit but will try better description if i do
– and for Tom, there was a sleek green spotted double decker bus with pinkish wings perched on the lower spreader last night in the hazy starlight. slightly larger mate hovering over masthead light trying to chat it up. no purple ephelaunts yet but watching closely for you. i want a piece of the winnings…
still working on the gadget, Siobhan – pete says hi. he’s taken off his dinner suit and is giving all signs of being totally somewhere else.
for the sailors – foredeck routine in these heavy running conditions – storm jib is permanently hanked on at bottom of main forestay and mostly tied into pulpit. #4 on a short strop hanked on above it and can also be tied to other side rail. #5 hanked on outer forestay, and can be tied in as well. saves continuous packing and unpacking, v flexible and works for twin poling or pole & main or two sail work. works as long as foredeck is not burying and easy to download parked sails if forecast looking pearshaped because already mostly flaked and can be bagged while still hanked on. Current combo is poled #4 with 3 reefed main – may change to twin pole with #5 and dump main as wind gets up and pete wakes. [ed: the higher the number the smaller the sail, with storm jib being the smallest]
we are talking to Derek @ penta comstat [ed: volunteer long range radio centre for sailing information and advice on weather] on long range skeds and to Taupo Maritime [ed: ditto] every morning.
The logs ramblings can be cryptic, so we have added: