Oct 31, 2005 - 0040hrs UTC

0040hrs 31 Oct 2005 UTC 39’03”S 028’03”E Ref 503

From Warwick

Warwick here, an old mate of Pete’s and avid reader of the “”logs””, you do a fabulous job and thanks…..Alex referred to Linda and Kids at King’s…..do you know if this is The King’s School at Parramatta ? My son Cam attends King’s, and we were at CYCCruising Yacht Club of Australia to see  Berri  off in S2HSydney-Hobart Race: often described as the most gruelling ocean race in the world, this annual race starts on 26th December from Sydney Harbour and ends in Hobart. The course is 628 nautical miles. ..the start of the epic. I saw Pete for a beer in London…sounds like consultationsA regular engagement with alcohol. One might say this whole epic is a Consultation with a bit of a sail round it. See also Conservation Mode; Linear and Parallel Methods of Consultation may be light on from here

Woc – The King’s School, Worcester, notParramatta. Linda is the geography teacher. Happy to talk to Parra if they want to.

From John and S. M-B

Long time no speak, in fact the last time I e-mailed you you had been knocked down!  Hope this is not habit forming. 
I was mightily impressed by your FastnetFastnet Race: 608 mile biennial race from Cowes, UK, Isle of Wight, to the Fastnet Rock off Southern Ireland, finishing in Plymouth. Berrimilla took part in 2005 and 2009. performance and am hoping you make it to Oz in time for the next Sydney Hobart.
The flag you sent is now in our lounge awaiting inspiration, it was passed on by Bernard when we were last in UK. We hope to step the mast on our small boat tomorrow so we can start sailing around and gaining experience of these waters.  I hope there not was exciting as yours at the moment! 

We have had a fellow RN observer here for the Trafalgar 200 celebrations in Stanley and Mount Pleasant. Chap by the name of Mike C, he was the CO of 801 in 1965.  Did you come across him?

Keeping you in  our thoughts

J &S MB- I certainly knew MC – but don’t really remember any context except the usual meeting in Shepherds or somewhere. Glad the flag in place – we hope it will give many years of service – as no doubt, its previous owner did! Good to hear from you and good sailing down there.

From Doug

I gave you a bumsteer when I said The Java was becalmed at 40deg S below WA I should have reread the diary rather than just check my plot (although they were later becalmed in Bass Strait off Cape Otway) – they certainly weren’t going anywhere though south of WA ! – I just checked Henrys scribbled and partly crossed-out entry for Friday 8th April 1853 – they were far from becalmed. It has a familiar ring to weather you have experienced recently.

“”Friday 8th but [ ? ] very [ ? ] till 6 oclock when we set sail & was of again doing nothing but drifting up to Six wife about [ ? ] Very rough all day drifting dreadful with this rocking very much wind Blew very much first night my wife was afraid she thought the ship struck against a rock but it was a very heavy sea wife about the same Doctor had a fall””  Nil forward progress but it wasn’t calm !

Hope the wind stays at your back all the way home.

Doug – I can relate to Henry’s diary entry – not much changes does it? – Steve, perhaps you could post it please?

We are getting our first freebie  – or at least noticeable one – since beforeCape Horncourtesy of Malcom, who has sent us some cold water. We have 2 knots of current behind us! I daren’t look at the instruments in case it goes away. It is now 1045 UTC and we have done 4 sail changes since 0300. Anyone would think this was a race. I think we must be getting impatient. Stir crazy?

12 hours later @ 3903 02803 31/0040

Still have about a knot-- Speed: definition of speed at sea. One knot is one nautical mile per hour. The nautical mile is about 1.15 % longer than the "statute" mile used on land. A knot is about half a metre per second. -- A knot is also the result of winding a rope around itself or another rope to make a join or a loop . of current. Water T 15.5. Wind has backed and we’re twin poledAn explanation from Malcolm: It is quite normal for a yacht to 'pole out' its jib (the foresail) on the opposite side of the boat to the mainsail when running downwind - this is called goosewinging'. A spinnaker pole is attached to the mast at one end and the back corner (clew) of the jib at the other. That holds the jib at the right angle so that it catches the wind. On Berri they've found that they can often get good performance and a comfortable ride by taking the mainsail right down and setting a second jib poled out on the opposite side to the first. again with the 2 and the cutdown – yet another sail change.

I have just done the equation with a bit more precision. Assuming a 40 day trip, water maker every other day, we will need about 1900 amp hours from the battery. We have about 960 a/h in the diesel tank and I have assumed we can get 400 a/h from the solar panel. That will leave us about 540 a/h short without including the additional 20% needed to replace battery drop. This means that we will need to get them from the dying generator if possible and reduce power consumption to a minimum. Shorter trip, better solar, less power use will all contribute but that’s the bottom line. The VoANot the Voice of America, but the Viscosity of Anusol. Sophisticated and innovative system of onboard temperature assessment. Full explanation here, perhaps. We will run the engine for 45 minutes three times per day on the overcast days if the generator finally stops generating. If we do start to run short, I will have to limit transmissions to perhaps one per day.

So it’s looking very likeAlbanyat this stage. I don’t see that we will be able to last as far as Eden or Hobart. If we get really lucky, we will get toAlbanyin under 40 days. FromAlbanytoSydneyis anyone’s guess, but assuming about 1700 miles, it will take about 15 days. 55 days from today is Christmas Day. Cutting things a bit fine but not out of the question.

Pete has been reading Shackleton’s book ‘South’ and I apologise if I have been hamming up the hardship a bit out here. What those guys went through makes our little bits of unpleasantness seem like a doddle.

31/0450 Water T 14.5