Wednesday 16th January, 2013
Fog most of last night and today, with very little wind, until rain brought increasing wind late in the afternoon - ahead of an expected Cold Front... So we finally made some good speed for a bit, after struggling to make 2-3 knots this morning!
Had reply from Rymarine ontests on wind instrument - result not looking too hopeful - might have to have another go at transducer pins- cable connections... Don't fancy that!
Identified a bird that has been around recently - Atlantic petrel - quite large and there were three around today - breed on Gough Island and the Tristan a Cunha group - I'll be passing those by on my way east.
Wind has varied in direction a lot today - have frequently had to adjust Fred to keep us heading on course . I'm trying to make Easting whenever possible - cuts down the distance I have to sail! But I'm really looking to get further north - out of the 'furious fifties' (which I have today: at 49S now) and into the 'roaring forties' - 40-45S would suit nicely, I think.!
Magnetic variation recently reduced right down from 13 degrees East a week ago when I passed S of Cape Horn to zero early on Sunday, SE of the Cape. Now we're into 8 degrees West variation - I have to remember to subtract, not add, to get True readings now! "West is best, East is least" is the old saying to get from Compass to True readings - not very clear, I've always thought, but with use it works!.
Wind got up more after dark - I decided to heave to (again!) with the frontal winds not expected to peak until early tomorrow before dawn - we were already making around 7kt and I felt I might as well sleep while the bad weather passes, ready to get underway again in the morning...
24hr DMG at 8pm local time (2300GMT ): 83 n.ml.(very ittle wind until late afternoon) Cape Horn 905 n.ml. away (SW). E. Falkland: 507 n.ml. (WSW), S. Georgia: 399 n.ml. (SE). Cape Agulhas 2931 n.ml.
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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/