Latest news from Nick Moloney to Dr Krumnacker
Segel.de
Nick Moloney is a member of Ellen MacArthur's Offshore Challenges Sailing Team http://www.nickmoloney.com
* ICEBERG COUNTRY shows its true colours...as ORANGE sees the blue white of
bergs for the first time on this Jules Verne attempt. Reliance on the radar
to spot the sometimes 'transparent' bergs is not enough..."spare a thought
for us troops tonight as our eyes desperately attempt to pierce through the
cold darkness"
* FAST SAILING, all things are relative - "We spent a period [after missing
the iceberg] sailing slow...well 25 knots, and are now back up to 33 knots!"
POSITION REPORT (Day 40 at sea)
COMPARISON table / JULES VERNE TROPHY
Monday 10th April 2002 0808 GMT
POSITION ORANGE
Position : 56°4'S / 114°24' W
Speed 24h : 25.12
Distance since departure : 17387.17 miles
Distance 24h : 602.98 miles
COMPARISON TO SPORT ELEC IN 1997
Position : 57°50 'S / 156°05' E
Speed 24h : 15.40
Distance since departure : 14204 miles
Distance 24h : 369.15 miles
LATEST LOGBOOK FROM NICK
Well I wasn't too far wrong in my last mail...about 3 hours later our first
berg rolled out of the mist 3 miles ahead and right on the bow. It was an
indication that visibility is very low and I would hate to think what may
have happened if it was dark.
We were sailing at about 33kts of bs,,, bore off sharply...passed within
1.5miles...fortunately no growlers seen.
Spent a period sailing slow...well 25kts and are now back up to 33. Trying
to decide right approach for night hours...still need to be fast as we have
some met issues ahead.
Boatspeed tonight will depend on how much we trust the radar, which was off
at the time we saw this one due to work being done on b&g system. Ironically
the radar came back to life soon after we had spotted it on deck. We were
not able to test alarms or clarity. I don't know if my old WRTWR skipper is
reading my logs but if you are Standbridge "Great stuff mate! You wouldn't
miss this for quids!"
As usual...very exciting and a great privilege to see one of these chunks of
ice..not sure of size...maybe 1/2 mile long, 1/4 mile wide, very tall with
flat top. Magic stuff,,, was like a kid in a candy store with a pocket full
of cash.
Speaking of money...I was moving a vest that I was wearing the day we left
terra firma... many days ago and I heard this strange sound. It was coins
rattling in my pocket. Its a sound that most of us here several times a day
but never notice...out here it was a strange sound...hadnt seen money for
over a month....what a simple and pure existence we have at sea.
A Great day today...same as the last 15 actually but today we saw what many
dream of seeing
spare a thought for us troops tonight as our eyes desperately attempt to
pierce through the darkness.
nick
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