Doldrum-like conditions, though we’re still too far south to be in the doldrums proper. It’s hot and humid, and what wind there is is light and variable. Plenty of squalls all day have been bringing rain and wind shifts, or killing the wind altogether. Saw whales blow and breach off the starboard beam this morning, but too far away to see what type.
SHIPS WORK: Work on two outer jibs today – a quick fix to the one bent on, and work on a new one too. Also work on a gaff topsail, the topmast studding sail, and some small boat sails. Carpenters are working on the royal yard and the quaterdeck. Riggers pulled out all the studdingsail gear today and got everything ready to rig up tomorrow if the weather is good enough. Dkembe is in the engine room with Chief Engineer Billy,
learning about batteries and electrical systems today. Celestial navigation workshops continue with Bruce and an all hands workshop to introduce studdingsails this afternoon.
BOUND FROM: James Bay, St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean
TOWARDS: Grenada, Windward Islands, Caribbean Sea
TIME ZONE: GMT -1
NOON POSITION: 06°30.3’S /017°23.0’W
DAYS RUN: 64 nm
PASSAGE DISTANCE RUN: 913 nm
DISTANCE REMAINING: 2,852 nm
COURSE AND SPEED: North West 1/2 West, Course made good 273° true, 0.4 knots
WIND: Wind Force 1, variable
WEATHER: Fair, 6/8 cloud cover, barometer 1016.5 millibars and rising slowly, visibility very good
SWELL HEIGHT & DIRECTION: South East by South 1m
SAILS SET: All square sails set except the main, braced square at noon, though the watches have been bracing sharp and back to square all day as the squalls brought wind shifts.
Chief Mate Sam Sikkema takes a sun sight with a sextant