By
Alex on April 11, 2005, at 1530 UTC
Topic(s):
Stars
1530hrs 11 Apr 2005 UTC Map Ref 162
This looks like being long and gossipy. I saw a flying fish today – we must be getting close to the tropics – its about 28 -30 degrees, humid, hazy – tough going. Not really enough wind and heading us badly, so may still end up climbing the Brazilian coast from Cabo Frio. The last bad storm messed up the early plan by taking us way further inshore that we wanted to go and now we can’t easily get back out. We would have liked to be where we could meet the SE trade windsBands of NW and SW winds either side of the equator that blow with more or less constant speed and direction all year. at about 25S 30W but not to be.
We are still hoping to rendezvous with the ISSInternational Space Station, but they must now be very busy getting ready for the ISSInternational Space Station 11 crew, due up there in a week or so. Just needs a clear night and a high pass and some accurate timing, but all together quite difficult to achieve.
We also had a visitor today – a tiny fluffy finch-like bird – greenish brown, yellow flashes on top of wings, short pointy beak – came aboard, rested below for a bit, made some deposits and left again. NoiceAlexism for quite a lot of things which taste good or are going especially well!
And we have a big problem – the cans of The DoctorGuinness are corroding in the iceboxes and losing their contents. Panic – we have instituted a regime of more frequent 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 while we decide whether there is any remedy.
Leo – good to hear from you – The DoctorGuinness is Guinness, Pete’s home brew, now gone but for two bottles, was Dr CooperCoopersCoopers Sparkling Ale: - according to Alex: “brewed in the bottle, so a bit of sludge comes with it - best beer on the planet - beats a Pan Galactic Gargleblaster hands down”. Also a home brew from a Cooper’s Kit, perfected by onboard master-brewer Pete. See Pete’s interesting equation Sparkling Ale: - according to Alex: “brewed in the bottle, so a bit of sludge comes with it - best beer on the planet - beats a Pan Galactic Gargleblaster hands down”. Also a home brew from a Cooper’s Kit, perfected by onboard master-brewer Pete. See Pete’s interesting equation CoopersCoopers Sparkling Ale: - according to Alex: “brewed in the bottle, so a bit of sludge comes with it - best beer on the planet - beats a Pan Galactic Gargleblaster hands down”. Also a home brew from a Cooper’s Kit, perfected by onboard master-brewer Pete. See Pete’s interesting equation Sparkling Ale: - according to Alex: “brewed in the bottle, so a bit of sludge comes with it - best beer on the planet - beats a Pan Galactic Gargleblaster hands down”. Also a home brew from a CooperCoopersCoopers Sparkling Ale: - according to Alex: “brewed in the bottle, so a bit of sludge comes with it - best beer on the planet - beats a Pan Galactic Gargleblaster hands down”. Also a home brew from a Cooper’s Kit, perfected by onboard master-brewer Pete. See Pete’s interesting equation Sparkling Ale: - according to Alex: “brewed in the bottle, so a bit of sludge comes with it - best beer on the planet - beats a Pan Galactic Gargleblaster hands down”. Also a home brew from a Cooper’s Kit, perfected by onboard master-brewer Pete. See Pete’s interesting equation ’s Kit, perfected by onboard master-brewer Pete. See Pete’s interesting equation ’s, and we also have Smoothies and The Archers Tool. Go figure!.
Big tanker went past on th horizon this morning probably towards Cape Town from somewhere south of Rio.
Those of you who were around west of Cape Horn may remember that we broke a blade off the fine pitch turbineAcquair turbine, consisting of a generator which hangs from the pushpit, 40 metres of line, and a towed 1-metre long metal impeller. we tow to drive our auxiliary generator. It’s a stainless shaft about a metre long with a rather rough cast aluminium hub at the end with two blades sticking out. Someone kindly welded a new bit of blade back on in Port Stanley but the weld failed not long into the stormy bit. We have been using the spare, coarse pitch turbineAcquair turbine, consisting of a generator which hangs from the pushpit, 40 metres of line, and a towed 1-metre long metal impeller. but we’re not going fast enough for it to work properly. I have suggested a solution to the suppliers which would eliminate such hassles – we shall see. Meantime, the BP Solar panel is pushing 4 amps into the batteries every time the sun comes out and we are just making do. There’s always diesel.
Does anyone know why the latitudes close to the equator are called the Horse latitudes – and which/where are they?
[ed: Responses now here]
And the big news: last night was reasonably clear – the usual gigazz of stars – Milky Way looks almost solid – and I saw Ursa MajorGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The PloughGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere for the first time – not all of it, but we’re getting there. For those who don’t know, the defining constellation in the southern hemisphere is the Southern CrossDefining constellation in Southern hemisphere and its two pointers, Rigil KentMajor pointer in Southern Cross with HadarMajor star pointer to Southern Cross with Rigil Kent and HadarMajor star pointer to Southern Cross with Rigil Kent. In the Northern hemisphere, it is Ursa MajorGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The PloughGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere, The Great BearGreat Bear / Ursa MajorGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The PloughGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere / The PloughGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere, also known as The PloughGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere and The SaucepanGreat Bear / Ursa Major / The Plough / The Saucepan: names for the same defining constellation in northern hemisphere, both of which it resembles more than a bear. The two western stars in the constellation point directly to the Pole Star above the North Pole. We won’t see the Pole Star this side of the equator and I’m not sure when we will on the other side but it’s all happening out here. And the Southern CrossDefining constellation in Southern hemisphere is now significantly below top dead centre too.
Devncroo – I knew about Viking wool sails – I think they actually found one in an old ship or a tomb, but the mind does boggle a bit about water and weight. There might be something via google?
Brian and Jen – oops! And Yay! for the bar – work on it.
John C, Malcom, Hi.
Stephen C, thanks for your note – Gordo seems to be under the baleful influence of one FenwickA friend and clearly a colourful character and we don’t hear from him any more.