Log Entry No 6 - 25th Dec 07. (Discoverer)
MERRY CHRISTMAS...
Smith Island - The gate keeper of the Antarctic Peninsula.
FROM THE CAPTAINS CABIN
The Drake Passage is almost behind us and the shores of Antarctica lie only just over the horizon. By Southern Ocean standards we have had a relatively easy crossing, but of course the key word is relative!!
On Wednesday 19th December at 1100hrs, following some last minute issues, including a live interview on The British Forces Broadcasting Service, Discoverer slipped quietly out of East Cove. I doubt any of the crew would disagree with the profound relief and satisfaction of finally putting to sea, although equally that relief was sensibly tinged with nervous excitement and anticipation of what lay ahead.
In fact our early progress was with favourable but light winds, these didn’t last long but it did allow for a gentle start to the passage. With poled out twin headsail Discoverer headed south out of Choiseul Sound, a low cloud base prevented a planned RAF fly pass and by late evening the Falkland Islands were fading astern.
Twin headsails poled out.
In fact over the night the wind strengthened and backed forcing s progressively further East of our desired passage track and so it continued for the next 24 hrs much to our frustration. But what can’t be avoided must be endured and we settled into and honed ship board routine. The watch system allows us to balance the requirements of working on deck and sailing the boat whilst allowing opportunity to sleep and rest as well as of course the necessary tasks of administering ourselves.
By 21 December we had been pushed so far East that we were 50 miles off track, and so we tacked and headed West. Despite the frustrations of not appearing to make any progress towards Antarctica, we had to get up wind of not only our desired track but also to make sufficient ground to allow us to fetch our course (that is to say that in the prevailing wind, we would be able to point and sail to our chosen landfall in The South Shetland Isles).
On 22 Dec, we were finally able to head south and this time the weather fronts contrived to give us mainly favourable winds; well in direction if not always in strength; it has at time been a lumpy passage with storm sails deployed. Steadily we clawed our way South.
Storm sail rigged.
The ocean is never still and whilst we might feel vulnerable and in something of an alien environment, there are those who feel totally at home in the ice waters south of Cape Horn. We have attracted an array of followers – if not admirers in the air and water and their presence adds to our sense of wonder and enjoyment. Visitors have abounded- or on reflection it is perhaps they who are at home and we the visitor. Which ever, the presence of Whales is always special and no more so than the one that broached only some 20 feet or so from the boat but sadly there was no camera on hand to capture he moment.
There she blows.
Whilst the whales are fleeting, the Bird escort has been constant and varied from Cape Pigeons to Albatrosses, their grace and elegant acrobatics have kept us enthralled.
A Wandering Albatross.
The regular reader will I suspect have already noted that we have been beset by technical gremlins and it won’t perhaps be a total surprise to read that these have continued. On the second day out Discoverer’s water maker failed to cooperate with the power supply! Back to the satphone and JSASTC Gosport. Yes the water maker is temperamental and yes they did have some ideas as to how it might be coaxed into life. So far, though, none have succeeded and their cheery reassurance that even without an electrician we ought to be able to follow the circuit guides, have confirmed the oversight in our training plan for this particular Antarctic skill! We have considered returning to The Falkland Islands for repairs, but at Christmas and with our now oh too familiar experience of being at the end of an 8000 mile supply chain, quickly concluded that repair before 2nd week in January was highly un likely and thus opportunity to get to Antarctica this season. We have had to face the unpalatable prospect that without water our return may be premature. So the water maker has been warned off for either disciplinary action or rudimentary deep surgery. In the meantime we have contacted the American research base at Palmer Station to see what if any support they can offer. We await their response.
In the mean time we have arrived at The South Shetland Islands and earlier today passed Smith Island. We have arrived, the question in all our minds is “FOR HOW LONG??? For without water we can not remain and despite the abundance of, snow, ice and sea, finding 3 litres per man per day is not as straight forward as it might initially appear but don’t plan on our early return just yet.
Dick P
FROM THE CREW QUARTERS
Corporal Geordie Thompson takes up his story:
“If some one had said to me 9 months ago that I would be on a 67ft yacht sailing in The Drake Passage I would of smiled and said your mad, but yet here I am. Despite months of preparation, the last couple of days have been a eye opener in how the sea can change. After leaving the Falkland islands in a quiet sea I thought this would be easy. How wrong I was!! Twenty four hours later I am green as grass and sick as a dog unable to keep any thing down, thinking this is it and the world is ending , every body around me smiling to them self and thinking I am glad its not me ,after 12 hrs of this I was sent to my bed by Dick who even had to help me get my boots off.
After 16hrs in bed I awoke a change man up and ready to carry on. I was a lot better but not yet feeling 100% but I had to get on deck. There is a bewildering array of ropes and a whole new language. I start to play my role within the watch and learnt how to put reefs in (make the sail smaller when the wind blows harder) and which line is which and when to pull it in or slacken it off. So “take in on the topping lift” is now old hat.(Sorry, the topping lift supports the boom and is tightened for reefing but slackened for sailing; its one of about 15 lines on the mast!!! Today it was “calling the luff” during a reefing re-hoist (the luff is the leading edge of the sail and must be properly tensioned for the conditions..
I can say with me hand on my heart that I am enjoying the sailing which I never ever thought I would say. The weather has been not too bad but we have had a few testing moments with the main sail but as per the watch sorted it out with ease.
Geordie - Its behind you!
Today we sighted Smith island at 11.24 0n the 24.12.07 the sight of this was breath taking it nearly makes up from being away from Angela and Caitlin at exams and new year. I feel that I have arrived.
The two watches work alternate shifts doing 6 on and 6 off in the daytime and moving to 4 on 4 off in the night although there is almost 24 hr daylight and perhaps only a few hrs of twilight. I am in Starboard watch and already we have bonded well, but in this environment, team work is the way forward. Getting use to each other and working together has been a challenge but I am getting use to it . . . . and loving it!!
Geordie
In the meantime the entire team join together in wishing all our supporters, readers and of course especially our families and loved ones a very merry Christmas – here’s to a white one!!!
PS Dear Santa please sends a working water maker!
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