Leg 3: Cape Town to Melbourne

Date: 25 October 2003
Day: 92 (Day 21 in Cape Town)

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the rle of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing. ..

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 33.54'S, 18.19'E

Position relative to nearest land: A few miles due west of Cape Town, heading out...

Course: 268 T

Speed: 1.2 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: tbc

Distance traveled since last port: tbc

Total distance from Ardmore: 8,000 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 6,000 nautical miles (nm) ...

Barometric pressure: 1024

Wind direction: NW

Wind Speed: Force 7-8 (28-40 knots)

Cloud cover: 100%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 17.0C

Sea conditions:Rough. Motoring west into steep swell to 20ft and strong wind to 40 knots from the WNW to gain sufficient sea room to clear Cape Point on a starboard tack.

Bird sightings:

Notes: Up at 0530 for the last hot shower. We sailed on the dot of 0900. A strong NW wind made it a bit of a test. Flashing daggers slashed ropes as we sprang backwards into the huge dock lined with tankers and fishing boats. Hope nobody was watching.

A radio message came from the Yacht Club anxiously asking if we were returning. We were motoring into a big swell and forty knots of breeze. "No!" I said. It was 25 years to the day since we'd sailed out of here on the 1977/8 Whitbread Round the World Race.

Anyway it was a dreadful day, all six of us were horrifically sick. I must go and lie down.

Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: 26 October 2003
Day: 93

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 35.31 S, 18.12 E

Position relative to nearest land: 80 miles SSE of the Cape of Good Hope

Course: 136 T

Speed: 5.6 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 120

Distance traveled since last port: 120

Total distance from Ardmore: 8,120 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 6,000 nautical miles (nm) ...

Barometric pressure: 1032

Wind direction: SW

Wind Speed: Force 5 (17-21 knots)

Cloud cover: 20%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 17.0C

Sea conditions:Beating into light sea

Bird sightings:


Notes: Rather too close to the west flank of the notorious Agulhas Bank. We must head due south until we reach 38 South. Then we can turn S.E. for Marion Island, some 1,100 miles away. The first of the Patagonian Toothfish fishing grounds.

The wind eased and the sea calmed down a little. Grand to see the great Albatross again! Grey Heads, Black Broweds and Yellow Noses were about as if to encourage us on toward their home on the Southern Ocean, still 300 miles to our south.

Everyone managed to keep some food down and a bit of laughter returned to the old ship. We'll be alright soon

Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: 27 October 2003
Day: 94

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing...

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 37.01 S, 19.05 E

Position relative to nearest land: 140 nautical miles SSW of Cape Agulhas, South Africa.

Course: 174 T

Speed: 7.8 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 100 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 220 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 8,220 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 5,263 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we willnot go so far South and will therefore have to sail further). ..

Barometric pressure: 1034

Wind direction: SE

Wind Speed: Force 5-6 (17-27 knots)

Cloud cover: 20%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 16.8C

Sea conditions: Tight reach (wind on the side), sailing south across moderate sea, whitecaps.

Bird sightings: Black browed, Grey Headed and occasional Wandering Albatross, Cape piggeons, Petrels.


Notes: Bumpy again today. So the repairs to our health, achieved yesterday, rather failing today. 'B' Watch (Trevor and Quentin) was rather quiet. Trevor (62) the seasoned Foreign Correspondent who has sailed a lot with us, smiles wanly, when Marie Christine calls him "Treasure". Quentin (33), tells us he is more Politician than Birder. Small, dark and wiry, he spits out words like machine gun bullets. A Greenpeace Team-Leader in the South Pacific, Quentin has contributed greatly to getting the Petition going. In the couple of weeks before we sailed from Cape Town, he had traveled from Fiji to his home in Australia and swiftly on, to multi-meetings in Europe. Arriving in Cape Town only a day or two before we sailed, he immediately set up key meetings for us, including the filming of the pirate ship. Now he's finding it difficult to settle down into the 24-hour rhythm of a year-long voyage. We must help him 'Down-stress'

Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: 28 October 2003
Day: 95

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 39.47 S, 18.59 E

Position relative to nearest land: 345 nm south of Cape Town, South Africa.

Course: 176 T

Speed: 7.3 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 160 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 380 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 8,380 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 5,143 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1036

Wind direction: E

Wind Speed: Force 5 (17-21 knots)

Cloud cover: 75%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 19.3C

Sea conditions: Reaching across light sea, heading South. Some whitecaps.

Bird sightings: Black browed, Grey Headed and occasional Wandering Albatross, Cape pigeons, Petrels.


Notes: The glass remains high and the wind holds good from the South-East. We continue to tip-toe down the longitude fence into the fearful Southern Ocean while the giant slumbers. Should I tell the others how awful it's going to be? The skinning cold and the lurking fear: If it gets much worse, we're going over". But this is just the defeatist talk of an old man. Six of us, with all the modern gear - Furling sails, Doghouse, Auto-Pilot; surely we'll find it easier than Andy Briggs and me on our 203-day non-stop trip round the world 20 years ago with those three shivering months in the Southern Ocean. I thought you were supposed to forget the nasty things in life. Then, I was 12 years older than Quentin is now. He has a good power to weight ratio, for a Powder Monkey.


Maybe the the surest form of education is the nose in the way of the slamming door. I love a bit of spark. Only dead fish swim with the stream.


During daylight hours we tried hand steering, in place of the Monitor wind-vane. This allowed us to press on a bit and the noon-to-noon run showed a respectable 160 miles.


A Wandering Albatross landed nearby. Folded its huge wings and looked on approvingly as we passed by.


Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: 29 October 2003 2003
Day: 96

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 41.45 S, 20.02 E

Position relative to nearest land: 440 nm south of Cape Town, South Africa.

Course: 129 T

Speed: 5.5 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 130 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 510 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 8,510 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 5,070 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1027

Wind direction: ENE

Wind Speed: Force 4 (11-16 knots)

Cloud cover: 50

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 14.7C

Sea conditions: Gently reaching across light sea, heading South, light breeze on the beam, under full mainsail, No 2 yankee and Staysail.


Bird sightings: Cape petrels, White chinned Petrels, Storm Petrels, Small flock Antarctic Prions, air Black browed albatrosses.


Notes: What fun it is to be completely immersed in something, with some of my favourite people in the world. To be old enough now, to realise this really is the main event. This rather than meeting with these old chums and talking of things past.


We are sailing across a smooth, vastly empty sea. We are in high pressure, the Glass reads 1024 the nearest low, off to our south, is 960, a fall of 64 points.


As you can imagine, there is an air of expectancy. The three Watches have come together very well. Trevor, a gentleman reporter since the age of 16, spends 8 hours of day and night, alone on deck with dynamic, astute Quentin, who's half his age, sometime opal cutter and climbing bum, longtime Greepeace operative. They'll get to know each other pretty well.


Long thin Nick is going well with exotic Igor (40), part Peruvian, English and Russian, who I've found to be a most agreeable traveling companion these past 17 years. We've been on many trips in the jungles of Peru, kayaked round Cape Horn and sailed to Antarctica together.


Marie Christine and I are in our usual. I feel so much better since the Root Canal treatment for my left lower jaw.


Between us, Nick and I run the sailing, ably helped by the newcomers.


A flock of Icebirds appeared toward dark, welcoming us as we headed southeast. Whales were seen in the distance and a small brown seal was seen on three occasions


Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: 30 October 2003 2003
Day: 97

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 43.12 S, 22.22 E

Position relative to nearest land: 580 nm south southeast of Cape Town, South Africa.

Course: 116 T

Speed: 6.2 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 145 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 655 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 8655 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 5,002 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1016

Wind direction: ENE

Wind Speed: Force 5 (17-21 knots)

Cloud cover: 100% (Thick mist)

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 14.5

Sea conditions: Very light sea just aft the port beam

Bird sightings: Cape petrels, White chinned Petrels, Storm Petrels, Small flock Antarctic Prions, air Black browed albatrosses.


Notes: A very different day. Close fog shrouded the boat and few birds ever found it. The wind began its anti-clockwise circle, turning from east through north-north-west. Nick and I are in a quandary about using our twin headsail rig poled out on either side; I think it will come but tactically we need maximum maneuverability just now.


Light following winds reduce our speed and so we are generate little power from either our excellent Ampair towing generator or the marginally less effective Ampair wind Generator. Therefore over the day the automatic Fischer Panda Generator switched itself on and off for eight brief sessions, each of 12 minutes, to keep the voltage up to transmission standards. Even so, Nick was unable to transmit at all either on Sailmail HF or Iridium. This sends him into paroxysms of frustration. However he was able to pick up a report of a sixty foot high iceberg to the north and a bit west of us. Steering in the fog sharpened a bit.


Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: 31 October 2003 2003 Day: 99

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 43.57 E 24.53

Position relative to nearest land: 646 nm NW of Marion Island.

Course: 109 T

Speed: 6.8 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 110 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 765 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 8765 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 4,890 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1013

Wind direction: W

Wind Speed: Force 4 (11-16 knots)

Cloud cover: 80%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 12.6

Sea conditions: Reaching across growing following sea, some whitecaps, cold.

Bird sightings: Cape petrels, White chinned Petrels, Storm Petrels, Small flock Antarctic Prions, Black browed albatrosses, Royal Albatrosses


Notes: Marie Christine and I came sweeping on Watch at midnight. Nick and Igor were in high spirits- they were off to their bunks for four hours!


The crescent moon was just setting over our stern and we were heading a little south of east with a steady breeze at our backs. the sea was smooth, the horizon a sharp, clean line, strangely lit in the south wet, far from the influence of the fast sinking moon. I settled down to review the log and continue worrying about our course. Marie Christine, well wrapped , was outside checking for any sign of ships.


"Come out! Come out! Her head ducked into the Doghouse, "You'll never believe it!".


"Icebergs!" I thought, wearily.


But it wasn't. The whole southern sky was bathed in light, deep red to the east, palest green to the west. A splendid introductory showing of Aurora Australis. Sometimes you can feel small and vulnerable out here.


Quite different in the morning. Sunny and blue to begin with but by eight o'clock a Front of black cloud was advancing from the western horizon. I rolled the mainsail into the mast but was too slow with the No.2 Yankee on the bow.


The rain roared in, the sea streaked white. Marie Christine and I resumed forty years of team building: me at the wheel trying to avoid shouting instructions, herself whirling on the wing,trying to avoid screaming defiance. Both still failing.


Anyway it was exciting. the dial showed top gust: 59.4 knots. Decibels un-recorded. Un-mimsy.


Into the mist...


John Ridgway

Date: Saturday 1 November 2003
Day: 100

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 44.43S 27.10 E

Position relative to nearest land: 300 nm NW of Marion Island.

Course: 145 T

Speed: 4.9 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 105 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 870 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 8,870 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 4,790 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1013

Wind direction: W

Wind Speed: Force 4 (11-16 knots)

Cloud cover: 50% Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 9.2C

Sea conditions: Reaching across moderate following sea, some whitecaps, cold.

Bird sightings: Black browed albatrosses, Wandering Albatrosses, Small flock Antarctic Prions.


Notes: "Sailing directly toward a clean sunrise, with an astounding perfect rainbow behind us, just before 0500", Igor wrote in the Log, slipping along at a silent four knots they passed close by a resting albatross and were amazed at its bulk.


We all six meet in the Saloon for lunch. It's our only time all together. Trevor peers out of the Perspex dome and Quentin, the other half of the duty Watch, sits on Nick's Communications Centre seat, which can be wiped dry. The rest of us sit on Marie Christine's Cape Town washed cushioned seats. There are plenty of fuzzy ideas - let's see what we can make of it. Here we are, 100th day out and we're juggling with three bureaucrats in 3 cafes on 3 continents to end their 3 tiring weekends.


Nick finally solved the Iridium problem. He looks ten years older. Auntie BBC was doing a spot of house keeping - around 15th October - obliterated us, but forgot to tell Nick.


A bit testy,


Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: Sunday 2 November 2003
Day: 100

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: S 27.10S, 30.00E

Position relative to nearest land: 680 nm SSE of Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Course: 77 T

Speed: 7.0 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 130 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 1000 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 9,000 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 4,660 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1012

Wind direction: WNW

Wind Speed: Force 9 (41-47 knots)

Cloud cover: 100%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 9.4C

Sea conditions: Rough.

Bird sightings: Black-browed albatrosses, Wandering Albatrosses, Small flock Antarctic Prions


Notes: Barometer fell 5 points in 5 hours and by dawn the wind was rising as Nick and Igor gybed the boat onto port tack. I reduced sail through the morning until we were running under a scrap of yankee in WNW Force 9 (41-47 knots). It is not appropriate for me to be explicit at this time but we are closing on the fishing grounds and await final details for a rendevous with a longliner. Unfortunately we have had to commit our course towards a general location already indicated and must hope for confirmation as soon as the weekend is over.


Conditions worsened all day and people became quiet and thoughtful. Trevor did his best to enliven things with his almost-sonnet to our final banana.


Both cockpits were filled by breaking waves at various times and cold, cold water got into annoying places. Poor Marie Christine had a bad day in the Galley with everything flying about and events wrecking the timing for both lunch and supper.


Writing like this, in a continuos email in the present is quite unlike writing a book when hindsight plays such a large part. We are all a bit ragged just now, as we approach one of those situations where hindsight is probably going to be used in a few days.


We need two things: A different RV position and the weather to ease. Both very possible.


Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: Monday 3 November 2003
Day: 101

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 44.06S, 32.47E

Position relative to nearest land: 194 nm WNW of Marion Island.

Course: 73 T

Speed: 6.1 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 130 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 1130 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 9,130 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 4,552 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1008

Wind direction: W

Wind Speed: Force 9 (41-47 knots)

Cloud cover: 100%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 9.4C

Sea conditions: Still rough.

Bird sightings: Black browed albatrosses, Wandering Albatrosses, Small flock Antarctic Prions


Notes: At 0300 in a rising wind, the sacrificial tube on the Monitor wind vane steering gear broke. Its stainless steel rudder then trailing behind on its Spectra safety line. Trevor immediately disengaged the Monitor and switched on the Raymarine Autopilot. The Monitor steering rudder was then found to have parted company with its safety line at the manufacturer's staple. We proceeded under the Autopilot. "Three wheels on my wagon" muttered Marie Christine.


Quentin then received information from the South African authorities that the legal South African flag Japanese long liner was not southwest but northwest of Marion Island, not 69 but 200 miles from us and due east.


This was a stroke of luck as the wind was building from the west.


But then while shaving I heard a chattering from the slim grey computer box in our Heads. and the Autopilot drive failed, this was a bit of a teaser, after lengthy costly servicing by the agents in Cape Town.


So we had to re-shuffle the cards a bit. With the boat surfing on winds gusting to over 50 knots, the tumbling waves were leaping hungrily into both cockpits. Now reduced to hand steering only, Quentin, Nick, Igor and I took hour long tricks at the helm, while Trevor and Marie Christine worked three-hour spells in the doghouse, generally supporting the Helmsman.


Heading into a familiar Southern Ocean night with the inevitable broaching, we seemed rather 'Up the creek without a paddle'.


Fairly long creek: 4,500 miles to Melbourne.


Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: Tuesday 4 November 2003
Day: 102

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing. ..' Position - Latitude, Longitude: 45.41S, 35.43E Position relative to nearest land: 840 miles SSE of East London, South Africa.

Course: 100 T

Speed: 5.1 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 135 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 1265 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 9,265 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 4,432 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further). .. Barometric pressure: 1005 Wind direction: WSW Wind Speed: Force 6 (22-27 knots) Cloud cover: 100% Air temperature: n/a Surface sea temperature: 7.3C Sea conditions: Wind has eased leaving us reaching along over a lumpy swell.


Bird sightings: Wandering Albatross, Immature Wandering Albatrosses, approx 12 Prions, Cape Pidgeon, Sooty Petrel, Storm Petrel, White Chin Petrel.


Notes: 0400. Alone at the wheel. The stern rose, the bow fell. I am looking down the wall of a house, the pavement lay below. With a rumble the wave broke round my shoulders, raced on down either side of the boat creating walls of water. Slowly the bow rose and we surfed forward on compressed air. Some trembling in the stomach. This is no time to have aboard people who question the tactics. We have always pushed on. Sometimes, when the bow hangs 60' near vertical below, I wonder what would happen if the stern toppled ahead of the bow. That's called pitchpoling. I've never done that - others have.


The wind eased with the coming of the daylight. We mopped up and returned to normal watch routine. What ever you are doing there is a better way to do it - if you look hard you may see it. Plenty of room for improvement for the next gale.

Hello Koryu Maru 11. Kochira wa 'Ingurisshu Rouze Sikkusu' toh iuh yotto desu. Eigo ga dekiru hito o musen ni dashite kudasai.

Date: Wednesday 5 November 2003
Day: 103

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing. ..' Position - Latitude, Longitude: 44.15S, 38.30E Position relative to nearest land: 60 miles NNE of Marion Island

Course: 117 T

Speed: 3.7 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 120 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 1385 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 9,385 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 4,332 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1002

Wind direction: WNW

Wind Speed: Force 2 (4-6 knots)

Cloud cover: 25%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 6.3C

Sea conditions: Pretty much becalmed on light sea

Bird sightings: Wandering Albatross, Immature Wandering Albatrosses, approx 12 Antarctic Prions, White Chin Petrel.


Notes: A beautiful moonlit sail from midnight to 0200. Nick and Igor did an extra hour at the wheel 0400-0700, so I would not have to steer 4 hours on my own but three, 0700-1000. As it turned out we were sailing gently and Marie Christine was able to steer for a good part, as well as get through all her stuff in the Galley.


There were great patches, rafts, of yellowy brown kelp, floating by like expired octopuses. And birds a plenty. Four Wandering Albatrosses, one with pink on the back of its neck, chatting together as they bobbed on the almost calm sea, one with pink on the back its snowy white head.


"Land Ho!" cried Quentin, thus winning the second of his four prizes. The first whale (off Cape Town), and first land (Prince Edward Island). The competitions for the other two prizes will probably be announced after Quentin has won them, this is a pity since the prizes involve chocolate. Prince Edward, 15 miles in front of Marion Island, was 35 miles away on our starboard beam and snow gleamed on its 2,370 ft peak.


As night came on a gale sprang up from the southeast and soon snow gleamed on us too. Drat it! Early Christmas.


Here we are roaring along amid snow and hail and Euan Dunn has just phoned to tell us that South Africa has ratified the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. Good on 'em.


Dear God! Why can't they agree to a 200 mile fishing limit around Antarctica and be done with it, before it's too late?


Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Date: Thursday 6 November 2003
Day: 104

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 46.10S, 339.24E

Position relative to nearest land: 100 miles NE of Marion Island

Course: 75 T

Speed: 5.4 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 40 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 1425 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 9,425 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia

Distance to next port: Approx 4,320 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).


Barometric pressure: 997

Wind direction: S

Wind Speed: Force 6 (22-27 knots)

Cloud cover: 50%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 6.9C

Sea conditions: Reaching across moderate to rough sea, many whitecaps.

Bird sightings: 2 x Wandering Albatross, 3 Sooty Petrels, approx 50 Prions


Notes: The glass dropped 6 points in 2 hours. Nick and Igor blinked into the ESE gale. Dead on the nose. They set a scrap of mainsail and lashed the wheel down to leeward to lie a-tri (Nick speak) and retired to the shelter of the Doghouse. Marie Christine and I were coming the other way: clambering up the ladder to join them. The wind generator was going like a banshee, the snowflakes attacked the window like a plague of moths trying to get at the dim light inside. We were happy to stay indoors, waiting for the Low to pass.


Throughout the night we drifted north at a couple of knots, away from Marion Island. At 0400 the Fischer-Panda coughed into life alerted by the radar's voltage drain. It had started automatically ten times yesterday. Now, after ten seconds, it died.


Another life changing moment had come. Lack of electric power would put us back into the dark ages. Can you imagine life without computers. Quentin who has been accused of working for the KGB by foreign governments before now, is never more than half an arm's length from his secret agent's black box and go-faster earphones. Nick's hyper-super-long fingers would cease their endless fluttering across the waterproof keyboard. His quasimodo hunch might wither and his screen-blank eyes might flicker back to life.


We would become Vikings. Strapped to the wheel. Unless we tame the Panda we will become Vikings strapped to the wheel.


By dawn the glass was rising 3 points an hour. By six the masts were shedding their coats of snow, thumping the decks like croquet mallet.


The wind swung to the south-west, up went the full Staysail and half the Mainsail.


The old boat lurched forward at 7 to 8 knots and surrounded by a cloud of approximately 100 pale grey Icebirds but few Albatrosses, we bore on toward the next two fishing grounds.


Poor Marie Christine has a sore elbow from the steering. We'll have to juggle with the Watches.


Nick and I got the Panda to start and this added to the sunshine but at the end of a great day's sailing, it failed again. 'Worrying about it won't fix it' muttered Nick, wearily, after his third attempt at starting. 'Let's have a go in the morning!'


Into the mist... John Ridgway

Date: Friday 7 November 2003
Day: 105

Local time: 1200 GMT+2

Leg Number and name: Leg 3, "The Wandering"

Focus of leg: CCAMLAR - the role of a regulated fishery. The impact of IUU fishing.

Position - Latitude, Longitude: 46.09S, 43.04E

Position relative to nearest land: 300 miles due east of Crozet Island

Course: 99 T

Speed: 6.4 knots

Distance traveled in last 24hrs: 150 nm

Distance traveled since last port: 1,575 nm

Total distance from Ardmore: 9,578 nm

Headed to: Melbourne, Australia


Distance to next port: Approx 4,270 nautical miles (nm) (Direct Great Circle route, we will not go so far South and will therefore have to sail further).

Barometric pressure: 1008

Wind direction: SW

Wind Speed: Force 4 (11-16 knots)

Cloud cover: 50%

Air temperature: n/a

Surface sea temperature: 6.5 C

Sea conditions: Reaching at good speed over light sea

Bird sightings: Wandering Albatross, Royal Albatross, Black Petrels, Sooty Petrels, White Chinned Petrels, approx 50 Prions


Notes: Marie Christine tried a new contortion t the wheel and the elbow improved. - just in time, we need all hands. We crossed two fishing grounds, rolling east toward the dreaded uninhabited Crozet Islands. Isle de Cochon: if we are wrecked there the pigs will probably eat us.


The triumph of the day was bleeding the Panda diesel fuel system and hearing it cough into life. No words can express our relief.


Each of us spend long periods alone on deck, at the wheel. It's 14 days since we left Cape town but few of us would really be able to guess the exact day or date. Life is geared to gales, the fourth is nearly upon us.


Our aim is to prevent the needless slaughter of the Albatross. At the wheel there is plenty of time to watch them and to wonder if we are achieving our aim. As it was getting dark a huge adult Wandering Albatross swung closer and closer across our bow.


All 12 feet of snowy white banking underbody and wings, crystal clear in the golden rays of the setting sun. It looked so plump and warm and at home; we are rushing along at 7-8 knots, surfing more. I'd like to be an Albatross.


Into the mist...

John Ridgway

Now go on to the next two weeks 8-21 November 2003 as we head off for Kerguelen.

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