27 July to 12 August 2003 - John Ridgway Save the Albatross Voyage

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Leg 1 - Ardmore, Scotland to Tenerife, Canary Islands


Passing the croft at Ardmore

Date: 27 July 2003;1200;

Day: 1
Local time: 1200

Leg Number and name: Leg 1 The Yellow Nosed;

Focus of Leg: Settling in and establishing comms

Position: 58 degrees 19 minutes north 5 degrees 41 minutes;

Position relative to land: Midway across the Minch

Course: 260M

Speed: 6 knots

Distance travelled in past 24hrs: 20 miles
Heading out of Loch Laxford
Distane travelled since last port: 20 miles

Total distance from Ardmore: 20 miles

Headed to: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Distance to next port: n/a

Barometric Pressure: 1016

Wind Direction: SW

Wind Speed: 28 Knots

Cloud cover: 8/16
Notes: Unfortunately we had a pretty bumpy sea on the nose which took a heavy toll on our eager crew;In view of the conditions it was seen to be prudent to seek shelter in the small haven of Marvig, on the east coast of the Hebridean Island of Lewis.

Date: 29 July 2003; 1200;

Day: 3
Heading south in the Minch
Position: 56.20'N, 8.11'W;

Position relative to land: 70 miles north of NW Ireland heading for the Atlantic;

Course: 230T;

Speed: 7 knots;

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 170nm;

Distance travelled since last port: 230nm;

Total distance from Ardmore: 230nm

Headed for: Tenerife;

Barometric Pressure: 1022

Wind Direction: SE;

Wind Speed: Force 4;

Cloud cover: High grey cloud;

Sea temp: 16C;

Sea Conditions: Smooth;
Notes Lots of Fulmars, gannets, some porpoises, number of fishing boats and one large liner heading up the Minch. The crew is slowly getting into shape with multiple sail changes. Unfortunately the connection to the Iridium phone external aerial didn't survive one vigorous sail change in fresh condx. New location and external connection required. Repair will be attempted in warmer drier weather a bit further south. We had a great breeze from the SE for a few hours this morning and made good progress south west towards the open Atlantic but have now lost it and are tossing about on a lumpy grew sea 70 miles north of NW Ireland. Just had very filling lunch of pasta, cheese sauce, tomatoes, bread - now tossing up if we should start the engine again...

Date: 30 July 2003;

Day: 4
Beating south towards Ireland
Local Time: 1200;

Position: 54.55'N,10.38'W;

Position relative to land: About 40 miles to the WNW of Eagle Rock of the NW Coast of Ireland;

Course: 197T;

Speed: 2.7kn;

Day's run: 99.6nm;

Total distance this Leg: 329.6nm;

Total distance since Ardmore 329.6;

Headed to: Tenerife;

Distance to next port: 1615 miles;

Wind Direction: WSW;

Wind Speed: Force 3;

Cloud cover: 10/16;

Air temp n/a but about same as water temp i guess, 15.5C;

Sea condx: light;
Notes Very changeable winds over last 24 hrs giving lots of sail changing exp. Small pod of Pilot whales alongside at dawn. Running watches 4 hours on and 4 off. MC and JR, Scott Simpson and myself. Now 16:20 heading south at 7kns into fresh SW'ly under no 2 yankee, staysail and mainsail with 4 rolls in it. Planning to go onto the westerly tack after 6pm for the night to give Ireland a wider berth. Forecast is for 20-30 knots from the SW. Just had a piece of Rita Reynold's lovely lovely fruit cake mmmm!

Date: 31 July 2003;

Day: 5

Local Time: 1200;
Position: 53.55'N,11.28'W;

Position relative to land: 45 miles west of Achill Island,west coast of Ireland;

Course: 180T;

Speed: 6 knots;

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 108 miles;

Distance travelled this Leg: 497 miles;

Headed to: Tenerife

Distance to next port: approx 1507nm;

Barometric Pressure: 1020;

Wind Direction: WSW;

Wind Speed: Force 5;

Cloud Cover: 12/16;

Sea temp: 15.5C;

Sea Conditions: Lumpy;
Notes: Today's comment from JR and MC "A black night on The Road to Perdition. Wretched and bumpy. Gusts to 50 knots. Just caught small craft warning of faint Shannon weather forecast. If only Nick could understand the meaning of seasickness. Poor Scotty under for a while. MC/JR groggy. Only 30,000 miles to go. Andrea Bocelli saves the day." Gannets,fulmars,storm petrels, shearwaters and various gulls plus dolphins sighted today.

Date: 1 August 2003;

Day: 6

Local Time: 1200;

Position: 51.15'N,11.35'W;

Position Relative to Land: 60 miles WSW of Fastnet Rock off SW
Ireland;

Course: 180T;

Speed: 7.3 knots;

Distance travelled over last 24hrs: 156 miles;

Distance this Leg: 653 miles;

Distance from Ardmore: 653 miles;

Headed to: Tenerife;

Distance to next port: 1394 miles;

Barometric Pressure: 1028;

Wind Direction: Westerly;

Wind Speed: 15-30 knots;

Cloud Cover: 14/16;

Air temp n/a;

Sea temp 16.2C;

Sea Conditions: Big SW swell, lumpy, some, whitecaps;
Notes: Beating to south against the prevailing SW'ly at 6 to 8 knots, ERV1 is showing her power,easily handling it under two foresails and the reefed mainsail. Down below life is at 15-30 degrees, with violent surges and every move must be planned. Today Caassandra Wilson sings standards... Have now cleared Ireland and set a course for Tenerife, 1,394 miles to the south.

Date: 2 August 2003;

Day: 7

Local Time: 1200;

Position: 49.8'N,11.18'W;

Position relative to Land: Cherbourg abeam (360 miles to the east);

Course: 190T;

Speed: 6.5 knots (under motor);

Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 127 miles;

Distance travelled this Leg: 880 miles

Distance from Ardmore: 880 nm;

Headed to: Tenerife;

Distance to go 1,254 miles;

Barometric Pressure 1037 (very high);

Wind Direction: SSE

Wind Speed: F2;

Cloud cover: 12/16;

Sea temp: 17.2C;

Sea condx: Smooth with big long swell from the west;

Birds: Shearwater,Storm petrels,a few Fulmars,terns,also Portuguese Men of War, and large numbers of small (1" diameter) floating balls each encrusted with barnacles...lots of porpoises;
Notes:Sunshine and a smooth blue sea have seen the wards closed on the hospital ship, a faint pulse has been detected in Scotty's neck, shorts have been broken out, sandwiches cut for lunch and highland jigs ordered by the Chieftain. Nick

Sunday 3 August 2003

Day: 8

Local Time:1200

Position: 47.10'N,12.37'W;

Position relative to land: 340 miles out off the Bay of Biscay;

Course: 192T;

Speed: 6.7 knots;

Day's run: 122 miles;

Total distance sailed since Ardmore: 1,002 miles;

Distance to Tenerife 1,147 miles;

Atmos.pressure 1035;

Wind Direction: Southerly;

Wind Strength: F2;

Cloud 2/16;

Air temp n/a;

Sea temp 18.9C;

Sea condx: calm and smooth;
Notes:

Warm sun and hot curry, just west of Bay of Biscay. Sedate progress under 4 sails. Tuna boats with their out-riggers lit up at night. Hawk resting on mizen mast head. Swarfega looks much like apricot jam, much frothing - thanks David!

John

Monday 4 August 2004

Local Time: 1200

Position: 45.00 North,12.03 West;

Position Relative to Land: 160 miles off Cape Finistere, on the NW corner of Spain;

Course: 170T;

Speed: 4.7 knots;

Day's run: 135 miles;

Total Distance sailed since Ardmore: 1,137 miles;

Headed to Tenerife,1024 miles to the south;

Atmos.pressure: 1029;

Wind: NE F2;

Cloud: 16/16;

Sea temp: 19.3C;
Sea condx: small chop and confused swell causing us to roll around and throw the wind out of the sails;
Notes:

  • The following NE wind had us bowling along through the night.
  • Marie Christine's Rosemary plant in it's clay pot full of earth blooming in the sunshine.
  • We will take on no more drinking water before we reach Capetown some 8 weeks from now. Water is strictly rationed. We clean our wooden feeding bowls with our fore fingers,swill them out with a little water and drink it.
  • Nick and Scott saw a UFO during the night (unidentified floating object). It came up on the radar but was unlit. Or was it just clutter?
  • We've streamed the towing generator and it's giving us up to 4 amps.
  • The highlight has been Scott's farming tales from Zimbabwe over coffee and Rita's cake. We hope we're not going to be like Scott and come back as a chicken.

    • John.

    5 August 2003;


    Day 10;

    Local time: 1200;

    Position: 42.32N,11..57'W;

    Position relative to land: 120 miles west of Vigo, Spain;

    Course: 189M;

    Speed: 6.8 knots;

    Day's run: 149 miles,

    Total dist sailed from Ardmore: 1,287 miles;

    Headed To: Tenerife;

    Distance remaining this Leg: 882 miles;

    Atmos.pressure: 1035;

    Wind: NNW F3,
    Cloud: 16/16;

    Sea temp: 20.9C;

    Sea condx: smooth.
    Notes

  • 120 miles off the NW corner of Spain. Heading South.
  • Birds: A few Shearwaters and Storm Petrels. A sparrow sized grey insect eater rested on port bow low rail while hunting passing flying insects. Stayed 4 hours in the afternoon.
  • Remarks: Plagued by calms and uniform grey sky, Marie Christine unkeen to drink own dishwater. I am mildly surprised, as for 40 years she as been boiling eggs in cooking rice. I believe my inside to be lined with warts. What's a little dishwater?


    • Into the mist

    John Ridgway

    6 August 2003

    Day 11
    Local time: 1200;

    Position: 39.59'N, 12.12'W;
    Position relative to land: 150 miles NW of Lisbon, Portugal;

    Course made good: 189;

    Speed 7.3 knots;

    Day's run: 149 miles;

    Total distance traveled since Ardmore: 1,436 miles;

    Destination Tenerife;

    distance to go: 733 miles;

    Atmos.Pressure :1034;

    Wind: NE F6, 20 knots;

    Cloud: 15/16;

    Sea temp 22.6C;

    Sea condx: Light but growing following sea,some whitecaps; bowling along now under twin yankees poled out on either side of the mast making good speed ahead of a slowly building NE'ly.
    Notes

  • Slipping down the coast of Portugal. Not wholly unsatisfactory.
  • Unique Jonathon Livingstone Seagull opportunities do present themselves.
  • Out here we are unable to view the website. What is needed ashore is one pro-active man or woman of vision from somewhere in the wide world to fan these now glowing embers into a bonfire blaze.
  • Link that Dutch composer and that Argentine fly fisherman. Swell the chorus. It's more than dipping into the pocket to fund executives fly around the world.
  • Sparks from the bonfire will produce their own innovative solutions.
  • You can see the opportunity. Look in the mirror. These are early days but the light glimmers. Seize the day.
  • If the symbolic albatross dies, it's looking very likely, your kid gets it.


    • Into the mist...

    John

    PS. Astonishing to think this is put on the BBC website by Richard Creasey from his Dacha outside Moscow.

    Lift it!

    7 August 2003;

    Local Time: 1200;

    Position 37.36'N,13.00'W;

    Position relative to land: 195 miles west of Cape St Vincent, S Portugal;

    Course made good: 204M;

    Speed: 6.4 knots;
    Distance sailed over last 24 hrs: 146 miles;

    Total distance since Ardmore: 1,583 miles;

    Destination: Tenerife;

    Distance to go: 590 miles;

    Atmos.pressure: 1032;

    Wind: NE F5 18 knots;

    Cloud cover: 0/16 but very hazy;

    Sea temp: 23.4C;

    Sea condx: Becoming blue, steady following sea with some white caps;
    Notes:

  • Strong sun and white crests as NE Trade wind blows us directly towards Tenerife under twin poled out headsails.
  • Still no birds at all. Perhaps there never were?
  • Close encounter with a ship last night. Under the almost 'square rig' of poled out twin head sails we are very limited for maneuvering.
  • Closing at a combined speed of some 25 knots, Nick's face glowing in the light of the radar screen, the ship crossed the four mile ring as I came up on deck at Scotty's 0400 call. "Where are you" a voice grunted in broken English over the VHF. I turned on the deck floodlights and he bore away. What larks.
  • We could be in Tenerife in 4 days, Monday 13 August. A few things to do there then push on to Capetown.


    • Into the mist

    John

    Friday 8 August 2003;

    Day 13;

    Local Time: 1200;

    Position: 35.43'N,13.50'W;

    Postion relative to land: 400 miles due west of the Straits of Gibraltar;

    Course: 206M;

    Speed: 4.8 knots;

    Day's run: 117 miles;

    Distance from Ardmore: 1699 miles;

    Distance to Tenerife: 467 miles;

    Atmos.pressuren: 1029;

    Wind: NNE F3 12kts;

    Cloud: 8/16 very hazy;

    Sea temp 24.2C;

    Light sea with a few white caps;
    Notes

  • NE wind has paled and sun is hot. We struggle to make 5 knots thru a Desert - no fish, no birds, no dolphins.
  • Still under twin headsails our laden boat gently swings like a hot air balloon.
  • The race is on to eat the fruit and veg. Daft to bring oranges and tomatoes back to the Canaries.
  • As well as the nightly drama of possible collision, John's and my Heads (toilet) is seizing up. Could there be some link with our high fibre diet? A bucket in the Southern Ocean is a terrible prospect.
  • Nick perseveres night and day with improving our communications, his latest focus being the recalcitrant weather fax. All just teething problems.


    • Marie Christine

    Sat 9 August 2003;

    Local time: 1200;

    Day 14;

    Position: 33.28'N,14.45'W;

    Position relative to land: 100 miles ENE of Madeira;

    Course made good: 206M;

    Speed: 5.4 knots;

    Distance travelled in last 24hrs: 140 miles;

    Total distance since Ardmore: 1,841 miles;

    Destination Tenerife; 330 miles to go;

    Atmos.pressure 1031;

    Wind NNE F4 15 knots;

    Cloud 75%;

    Sea temp 24.2C;

    Sea Condx: Light sea with a few white caps; Saw turtle today.
    Notes

  • We have been at sea a couple of weeks now. We're settling in
    for the long haul.
  • Scott is leaving us in Tenerife. Too seasick.
  • Three of us, Marie Christine (59), Nick Grainger (53), and me (65) will sail the boat on the six week passage to Capetown. Three good men will join us there, where our Albatross circumnavigation will start and finish.
  • Though the nearest Albatross is probably 3,000 miles from us still, much is going on ashore.
  • Carol Knutson and Barry Weeber of Forest and Bird New Zealand, are keen to host a worldwide petition to save the albatross which I hope to present to the United Nations Fisheries Committee in Rome in June 2004.
  • We hope a notice about the petition will be put on the Birdlife International web site as well as on the websites of all their country member organisations, with hyperlinks back to the host website of Forest and Bird NZ, and of course to our own BBC H2G2 web pages.
  • We didn't come all this way just to powder our noses.
  • More tomorrow.


    • Into the mist...

    John

    10 August 2003;

    Day 15;

    Local Time: 1200;

    Position: 30.55N, 15.50'W;

    Position relative to land: 45 miles North of the Salvagen Islands;

    Course made good: 205M;

    Speed: 6.5 knots;

    Day's run: 156 miles;

    Total distance from Ardmore: 1,997 miles;

    Destination: Tenerife;

    Distance to Tenerife: 163 miles;

    Atmos.pressure 1030;

    Wind: NNE 4-5,

    Cloud 95%;

    Sea temp 24.6 C;

    Sea Condx: Growing swell from the North, some whitecaps.
    Notes

  • It's now 16.30, we're now only 19.5nm NNE of Pequena Island, in the Selvagen group. A watching to avoid these low and uninhabited islands. Still 130nm NE of the western corner of Tenerife.
  • Numerous storm petrels and Shearwaters.
  • Our debate (endless) continues as to how we might encourage the Japanese to view the albatross with the same affection that they hold for the penguin.
  • Is there anyone reading our Save the Albatross web pages out there in Japan? Nick's wife is Japanese and he thinks we should try and make affection for the albatross become fashionable for young Japanese. Enthuse young people to wear 'I love albatrosses' pins, that sort of thing. And if we could persuade China,Taiwan,Korea, and Indonesia to follow suit - why then we should be winning.
  • Has anyone any ideas?


    • Into the mist...

    John

    11 August 2003;

    Day 16;

    Local time 1200;

    Position 28.27'N, 16.53'W;

    Position rel;ative to land: 7.6 miles NW of Tenerife;

    Course made good: 195;

    Speed: 7kn;

    Day's run over last 24hrs: 168 miles;

    Total distance from Ardmore: 2,165 miles;

    Destination: Tenerife:

    Distance to destinaion: 7.6 miles;

    Pressure: 1027;
    Wind: ENE F5,
    Cloud cover: 35%;
    Sea temp: 24.6C;
    Sea Condx: Light SE'ly a with some whitecaps.
    Notes

  • We arrived.... Los Gigantes, Tenerife. Baking hot, the 12,000 Pico De Tede rears up to its snow capped summit ten miles inland.
  • We have our "Save the Albatross" banner on either side in giant red letters on white. Everyone stops and asks. Poor old albatross. Nobody knows...


    • Into the mist

    John Ridgway

    12 August 2003;

    Day 17;

    Alongside in the small harbour at Los Gigantes, Tenerife. Hot and bright with little wind.
    Notes

  • Our local contact Steve Gilbert together with wife Monika rapidly organized some local experts to help us with a few minor problems (like John and MC‚s Heads).
  • Scotty departed for the airport and we met new recruit Marie-Louise Rogers ('Re to her friends) who will sail with us to Capetown and hopefully beyond. Marie has recently gained her RYA-MCA Yachtmaster (Ocean) certificate and has plenty of sailing experience. We'll hopefully get her bio up on the site soon.
  • We hope to depart Thursday 14 August for Capetown.


    • Nick

    Now go on to the next two weeks 14-27 August 2003 as we head on towards Cape Town

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