Crew diary July 16th   (Excerpts) 

What a day it has been! Different in many ways. Yesterday I had as usual set up my cot outside and now, when at anchor, I sleep in “The red light district" which is our lamp in a red bucket by the ship´s bell where it is a bit dark due to sets of spars being placed above us. Search-lights are otherwise illuminating the deck. Earlier I have been sleeping on sundeck. 
But around one o´clock in the morning I was wakened by Karin who said that rain was on its way, seen as a big green spot on the radar screen. So I and all the other brave deckhands who had thought they could defy the weather gods went drowsily down to gundeck and I succeeded in finding me a place to put up my cot, in spite of the place looking as it must have done in the 18th century, with people sleeping everywhere, high and low, in their cots. Not much later, heaven opened its gates and those sleeping closest to the open gunports received a good shower, since the rain came in horizontally.

Linda Svenson,
port watch

Officer diary July 16th   (Excerpts)

Now we are close. Tomorrow we will moor in Nansha. We are in China. It is unbeliveable. To many on board, me included, it is a dream come true.
 
I remember well the first times I visited the wharf during the construction of the ship. I was there with my grandmother who had an annual season-ticket. We decided that we would sail to China, Grandma and I, but since she was rather old we had a back-up plan. If she would be gone when it was time to sail, I was to sit at the top of the mast, doing crosswords and listening to the music-quiz on the Swedish Radio. She was very fond of both. Well, I cannot listen to the broadcasts from where I am now, but I have a magazine with crosswords. I am off-duty tomorrow and so I shall take a tour in the rigging and have a nice time with Grandma. It is after all thanks to her that I am here.
 
Like many others on board I have heat rashes. I though I was going to escape it, but no. Large parts of my arms, legs and chest are covered with small, red rashes. It seems as if they are more common among us who sleep in our cabins, where the temperature is 35ºC at an average, rather than among those who sleep on the deck. Your are sweating constantly, day and night. The sweat pores are overstrained, according to the doctor. And I would not be surprised if that is the case. The Chinese may wonder what Marsians are coming to visit them, when half the crew looks all dotted.

Cecilia Unger,
mast skipper midship watch