Berrimilla Down Under Mars Status Report 11 May 2008

SUNDAY, 11 MAY 2008

Elementary, my dear Watson – 1915.49 16626.10

One for the sleuths; at 1254 UTC on May 11 2008, an aircraft passed directly overhead Wake Island (and Berrimilla). It was very high and tracking about 255 M. Who was it? Probably a commercial flight from Hawaii to Singapore?

We are passing 12 miles west of Wake as I write, and directly downwind. No wafting PBX smells, no nothing. I can see the loom of lights – but that’s about all. Tried to call them on 16, but no answer. I wonder if they know we are here. Easy to see how the early explorers could have sailed on to reefs at night – La Perouse for one.

POSTED BY BERRIMILLA DOWNUNDERMARS AT 21:53

Noon 1812.50 16617.30

dtd 2519 so dmg 120. And we are still bucking current. Hard to believe. 15 deg between heading and COG and 1.5 kts speed difference between log and GPS SOG

Happy Birthday Speedy – I’m about to have the first Official Consultation. Still heading for Wake – might just slide to the east. Too hot for any more – will resume later.

Grind, grind, grind…when you are traversing a quarter of the earth’s surface at not much more than walking speed, time tends to drag. Wonderful sailing but such a loong way still to go. About 15k in a marathon, mentally. You start to wonder why you are doing this and then you see the night sky again and you know.

We are definitely heading for the Amukta Pass through the Aleutians at 172W. The passes near Dutch are treacherous, busy and to be avoided – google Akutan and Unimak for some gruesome details – 9 knot tides, vicious waves when the wind is against the tide, lots of ships. Dutch is very close to the great circle route between the US west coast and east Asia, so lots of ships use these passes. Too hot again – back later.

Later – sun has just set and we’ve just altered to pass Wake to leeward – to the west – by about 10 miles. 35 miles to go and I’ll give them a call on VHF 16 in a couple of hours.

Banged my head – again! – on the top of the companionway entrance. Hooooowl!

POSTED BY BERRIMILLA DOWNUNDERMARS AT 09:30