Feb 02, 2005 - 0353hrs UTC

Sitrep: 0353hrs 02 Feb 2005 UTC 49’52”S 173’54”W Map Ref 43 1828nm 12.0C 1.5ktsE

Stunning night, low moon to start, with Venus – I think – alongside and the usual giga of stars. Then clouds and light mist. Damp, slightly misty completely cloudless and quite breathtaking silvery rather than gold sunrise with a lone albatross gliding around us. Heard from the ABC 1000 yrs in a day cd as I watched the albatross and set up the solar panel to catch as much sun as possible that Hildegard von Bingen called herself a feather on the breath of god and I remembered my little feather tumbling across this huge ocean surface for those few serene moments a couple of days ago.

Regarding things that have worked, i think it might be more useful if i just put together a list so that it’s all in one place and anyone who wants detail can email us for more. The list of really big ones was in my earlier report on knockdownWhen the boat is severely rolled or knocked over sideways, normally when beam on to big rolling breakers. damage from Dunedin. So, so here’s a second list, in no particular order – there are links to some of them in the preparations doc on the website:

• wool (i’m using a lot of second hand army woolly vests and longjohns and Norwegian knitted ski socks bought from a disposal store in George st in 1981 before the Rio race and never since taken from the plastic bags HilaryAlex’s partner and Katherine’s mother and I sellotaped them into in the confusion before we left);
• the Software on Board navigation package from Digiboat.com together with CMap;
• LED mast and interior lighting; interior insulation of Berri’s main living compartment – it’s hardly a saloon;
• cake;
• the Ampair ‘Aquair 100′ generator;
• Xantrexxantrex battery monitor battery monitor;
• Gill OC racer wet weather gear (if there’s anyone out there from Gill, send me a note – I’ve got a couple of suggestions to make it even better; polyprop glove and sock liners (can be worn on their own just to de-clammy-nate the hands and feet inside the boat in the very high humidity we are experiencing);
• Sealskinz waterproof socks;
• the BP solar panel;
• the cut down #1 genoa Brian ShillandShilland, Brian: much-lauded sailmaker for Berri doctored for us as a running sail for single or twin polingAn 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.;
• Finisterrs fleece jackets – second plug for these; snaplock plastic bags (NOT the ziplock ones with a slide which invariably fail – not designed for this sort of use);
• waterproof bivvy bags to keep sleeping gear and some clothes in – thanks Gerry!;
• Dr 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 home brew kits (plastic bottles supplied with them…) and the man from Dublin’s grobby looking potion;
• SailmailSailmail is the system that Berrimilla uses for email communication. It is a non-profit association of yacht owners operating a network of private coast stations in the maritime Mobile Radio Service.- cant plug this enough – really good outfit so far; 90 litre yellow plastic packliners from Kathmandu.

There will be more, as we get to use more things.

A few hours short of a week out of Dunedin and 756 miles on the GPS – rather slow, averaging about 4.4 but real progress. And we have almost no wind but about 1.3 knots of easterly current – YAY!

“Why is it so” question for today: The sea is flat greyish blue and it looks diamond clear and there don’t seem to be any little organisms visible – and no phosphorescence at night. What are the necessary conditions for phosphorescence? From my experience, there seem to be at least 2 types – one caused by algal blooms on the surface and one by submerged organisms which spectacularly light up all sorts of odd places like the toilet bowl. Is it as simple as no organisms, no phosphorescence?

A respectful (but, sadly, these days only virtual) forelock tug to the Women’s Institute of Hatherleigh in Devon – g’day youse all and nice to know you’re there.

Kim, lovely to have you back on line but please keep it short – we have only 10 minutes’ connect time each day and your last took 6 of these to come through – propagationIn the logs, this refers to the radiation of signal energy and is customarily qualified by the words abysmal, ratshit or lousy down here is abysmal.

First attempt at breadmaking – dough doing its thing in warm bowl. Lower storm board as kneading board. Needs a lot of space and spare flour for dusting which i didn’t allow for. Next time…

Unless propagationIn the logs, this refers to the radiation of signal energy and is customarily qualified by the words abysmal, ratshit or lousy improves, it’s likely that there will be only one update per day from here on, in the evening our time. Will write it over time during the day, like this one, so may have the occasional non seq. particuarly relative to time in header which will be send time when possible.