Noon position report May 4th, 2006, at 1200              

24 hour distance: 158 nm
Average speed: 6.6 knots
Under sail: 24 hrs

Other non-logbook data
 
Position: S 035 dgrs 03 mnts
             E 111 dgrs 41 mnts
 
Wind: WSW 11-16 knots
Wave height: 1.25- 2.5 m
COG: 50 dgrs
SOG: 6.0 knots
LOG: 5.9 knots
Air pressure: 1023 mb
Temperature: 16 dgrs C
Water temp.: 18 dgrs C
Depth: Abt.2,100 m
Weather: Overcast, occasional showers

Lunch: Penne al forno
Dinner: Flying Jacob, a chicken, bacon, peanut, cream and chili dish
 
From the logbook:

3/5
1500 Log position patent log 182´, log factor 1.11
1600 Jib and main staysail taken in

4/5
0500 Let reef out of sprit topsail
 
Comments:

It is not so deep any more, we are now sailing over the so-called Naturalist Plateau and the depth here is “only" slightly more than2,000 metres . The water is also warmer and so is the air, presumable a sign that we are approaching land. The albatrosses no longer escort the Swedish Ship Götheborg and that is definitely a sign of this - they are never seen close to land and they obviously felt that is was time for them to fly south or turn around. We also saw a flock of dolphins today, or maybe they us, and they seemed rather curious.
 
Preparations for the upcoming meeting with Australia are in full swing. One of our Australian deck-hands has asked how many would like to join in on a barbecue some evening when at quay. The stock-taking of stores that might interest customs is also in full swing and the results are astonishing. Is it the master-minds of the galley once again? They have made soured milk and sprouts so that everyone can get some for every meal. But now it is a question about our deep-freeze stores, among them Swedish snuff, which is sold to the standing crew. These boxes of snuff have also, mysteriously, increased.
 
Right now we would prefer the weather that has been forecast for several days, that is very little wind. That would be excellent, so as to permit maintenance work on the outside of the hull and in the rigging. And today´s showers can be seen as a test of the results of the caulking of the deck, to prevent water from leaking into cots and cabins. So far, late in the afternoon, there are no reports of such leaks, in spite of rather heavy showers. It may have succeded.