Thursday 10th January, 2013
I really can't believe I'm still close to Cape Horn - this weather has to change soon - it's way too gentle to be true!! Maybe later tomorrow, as a Front approches off a Low to the S...
Fast-moving Cape petrel circled this morning, joined by a very large Wandering albatross which soared around nearby for a time. Looked like a fairly young one from the brown and white mottling on its back between its dark wings.
I forgot to mention an important job done yesterday morning. I went to unfurl the staysail and it seemed unusually difficult. Realised the lead of the furling line into the staysail furler was wrong (not sure why). Had to unscrew it and move it into its correct position so the lead was good, with far less friction. It was nice to have calm seas for that foredeck job! Also greased the furler while there.
11.30 Ambling along at around 5kt again - west wind has slowly been backing and varying over the morning - not very strong still, although did see faster speed for a bit, earlier....
Decided to re-think my cooking gas strategy with the calm seas of the moment! The plan had been to avoid needing to change tanks in the middle of the strong, stormy Southern Ocean weather (!!) I was expecting..... so I'd changed to the big tank well before nearing Cape Horn... But with that turning out to contain butane, it hasn't worked out in the low air temperature, so this morning I changed back to a smaller propane tank - the galley cooker is back in use and I'm cooking normally... The little camping stove, which uses disposable cartridges, will remain as a back up since gas could yet run out in stormy seas, when changing cylinders could get problematic.... When it's warmer, I can use the butane tank again
1:30pm (Chile summer time, GMT-4, is Atlantic time in Canada) The sun was trying to get through the thin cloud layer near midday and there was the beginning of a hint of warmth - but not for long - it's slightly foggy!
About to cook some ham and eggs with chiplets (miniature chips!) and baked beans...! And making a big broth/stew later - beans & chick peas are in soaking and I'll have tinned ham to add in along with various vegetables (tinned sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes and fresh potatoes and onion)
8pm Thick fog!! Visibilty down to about two boat lengths. 9pm Fog lifted, replaced by rain. The 'James Clark Ross'passed astern on its way to 'off Elephant Island', headed south - towards Antarctic? No response to VHF calls.
Nice to think that there are no more icebergs to worry about until we're well into Atlantic now. There's a big 'tabular' berg ENE 850ml away -has time to drift a good distance by time I get closer ....
24hr DMG at 7pm local time (Chile time!) (2300GMT ): 122 n.ml. Cape Horn 314 n.ml. away (due W) and my next waypoint, keeping well clear and to SE of the Burdwood Bank, is 118 n.ml. away. Isla de los Estados 213 n.ml. (WNW). E. Falkland: 217 n.ml. (NNW), S. Georgia: 691 n.ml. (E).
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For my positions, see:
www.svnereida.com - 'Travels' - "Where is 'Nereida'?"
http://www.exactearth.com/media-centre/recent-ship-tracks/tracking-nereida/
http://oceantracker.net?event=nereida