1335hrs 18 Jan 2005 (SYD Time) 47’20”S 171’31”E.
WE saw a seal this morning – just a glimpse, no time for ID in one of the many squalls. Albatrosses back – hanging over the stern looking at us – mostly medium sized, about 3m span. Special moment in squall – think greyout, vis about 100m, big big breaking swells with wind waves on top, spray and spume flying horizontally in cold driving rain. Sea surface appears smokey. Little bird – black wings, white patches on top, just hovering directly into wind, wings quivering with the blast of moving air and water, eyes probably squeezed tight shut and its little feet running as fast as they could go on the surface to help keep it airborne or give it some orientation. The pointy bits on the tails of some birds are the ends of their feet poking out from the tailfeathers.
We’re working things out as we go. Got some things right in the planning, others not so good. pulled in the impeller we are towing to drive the aux alternator to check it for chafe (big job in itself cos the line has gerzillions of twists in it…)to find the line in a big twisted knot at the end and the beginnings of chafe on both the line and the steel impeller. It’s the fine pitch impeller, for speeds of 7 kt or less and we are mostly going too fast for it, but when we slow in the troughs, it winds up on itself. Added regular check to routine
And one for Kevin Fleming – Kev, the holes for attaching the ends of the steering lines to the crossbar next to turning blocks are chafing the lines. have already gone thro one line and nearly second. Need to be rounded better on insides or better still,different arrangement (? shackle) Otherwise, the thing is working brilliantly. Must just go and adjust it – we’re playing with twin poles in 30-50kt and big waves and its set too far down and rounding up in troughs of the bigger waves so flogging windward sail.
959 to Alpha, 3952 to Horn. Full on since the snares gusts of 60 in the squalls now have storm jib only, poled out and kevvo handling it ok. going a bit north still, waiting to see whether westerlies come back tomorrow.
Are you out there somewhere Clouds? Grib working but hard to get big picture.