Topic: Albatrosses

1-2. Hobart (Tasmania)-Dunedin (NZ)

Jan 18, 2005 - 1335hrs SYD Time

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 – … Continue reading

1-7. Near the Horn

Mar 02 2005 - 1640hrs UTC

Sitrep: 1640hrs 02 Mar 2005 UTC 54’49”S 099’05”W Map Ref 93

There have been two huge albatrosses flying round us in formation for a couple of hours. One quite a bit bigger than the other. Both brilliant white underneath in the low early morning sunlight, flecked grey on top, creamy … Continue reading

1-7. Near the Horn

Mar 03, 2005 - 2348hrs UTC

Our applied TRS avoidance strategy seems to have worked. We moved up and to the north of the low and we think we are now in the westerly flow behind it. Poled out storm jib and #4, chosen for flexibility – we don’t know what the wind and waves will do to us over the next couple of days and we are getting 6 knots with the option of changing easily up or down. Cape Horn is now on screen on the gps and the laptop and the countdown has begun. … Continue reading

1-10. South Atlantic-Going up

Mar 26, 2005 – 1040hrs UTC

1040hrs 26 Mar 2005 UTC Map Ref 126

The romantic view of dawn at sea seems to focus on pretty colours and reflections and thoughts of new beginnings with lots of allegory. Well it ain’t necessarily so – often bleak, cold, very damp with water running off the sails and … Continue reading

1-10. South Atlantic-Going up

Mar 27, 2005 - 0930hrs UTC

Well, all y’all, now that the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster has had time to work it’s magic and I’m shaking off my cold and feeling a bit more like one of those primitive ape forms from Sydney, here we go again. Brain has been congealed for a couple of days so apologies if some of this is second time around. … Continue reading

Oct 09, 2005 - 2300hrs UTC

2300hrs 09 Oct 2005 UTC 34’47”S 013’06”W Ref 426

Birds. Lots of them – mostly black with white beaks and a white ring around their eyes and faces. There were a lot of them around the Falklands and perhaps Tristan da CunhaA remote volcanic group of islands in the south … Continue reading

1-25. Blowing a (super) gale

Oct 19, 2005 - 1010hrs UTC │Clench-Inducing Sequences V

1010hrs 19 Oct 2005 UTC 40’41”S 008’38”E Ref 457

0845 – went to bed and couldn’t sleep and the nasties went through pussy cat like and we’re back in the sun for a bit. no sleep for the wicked – we put the poles on and now we’re twinned with … Continue reading

1-25. Blowing a (super) gale

Oct 20, 2005 – 1115hrs UTC

1115hrs 20 Oct 2005 UTC 39’32”S 010’13”E Ref 464

We’re in mega-wallow with no wind and huge SW swell with the others across it. Seemed a good time to use a litre of precious diesel to charge the battery fully and move us forward a few miles. Expect some wind … Continue reading

1-25. Blowing a (super) gale

Oct 20, 2005 - 1800hrs UTC

1800hrs 20 Oct 2005 UTC 39’25”S 010’47”E Ref 465

We had a small Trafalgar-Day-on-the-Dateline rum for the dead on both sides and we’re due for another in our own timezone tomoz. Would a’ been nice to have been in Port Stanley – JMB, hope you have a good one.

And … Continue reading

1-25. Blowing a (super) gale

Oct 21, 2005 - 0900hrs UTC

0900hrs 21 Oct 2005 UTC 39’30”S 012’26”E Ref 468

DMGDistance Made Good; More here 97 – day’s run 108, gps 115.

Steve I’ve turned off the satcom to conserve but will use it as necessary. Will stop messing about with numbers in the DB – in future, now that I … Continue reading

1-26. Through the Barn Door

Oct 26, 2005 – 0730hrs UTC │ Pink Albatross

0730hrs 26 Oct 2005 UTC 37’16”S 018’37”E Ref 487

Lily the Pink, the Pink, the Pink, saviour of the human race with her medicinal compound – has anyone ever seen a pink Albatross? Well I have and completely without any help from Lily – just after sunrise this morning, all … Continue reading

1-26. Through the Barn Door

Oct 28, 2005 - 0837hrs UTC │Alcohol List, Stocktake

DB: dmg 103 – seems about right, given the adverse current and the overnight park. 69 days out, so in 2 days we will equal the Falklands – Falmouth leg in days, followed the next day by a Berrimilla record voyage. We have already sailed about 1000 miles further. … Continue reading

1-30. To abeam Cape Leeuwin

Nov 28, 2005 - 2327hrs UTC

2327hrs 28 Nov 2005 UTC 46’16”S 107’07”E Ref 598

most of you would recognise the bright green rather slimy seaweed that grows along the waterline of jettys and harbour walls and boats. we now have it growing on deck in all the spots where water collects. the makings, perhaps … Continue reading