Tinkerbelle riding to her sea anchor…
Logbook of Tinkerbelle – Part 7
Monday, July 12
[* Note: There was no entry in Tinkerbelle’s log for this date — editor.]
Tuesday, July 13
Today’s the day we get going again and test the repaired rudder, Lord! I hope it holds up. If it doesn’t, I’ll really be in a spot. It certainly seems strong enough to me. Well, now for some breakfast, and then up and at ’em. It’s a dull cloudy day, as usual, but the barometer seems to be holding at 30.6 and the wind is not too strong nor the waves too big. I’ve been drifting southeast during the night.
A ship just went by, only about a mile off to the south. It must have seen me, but it didn’t stop. It had just passed when I saw it out the hatch as I prepared breakfast. I jumped up and waved, but I don’t know if anyone saw me. The ship may have been on automatic pilot with no one watching from the bridge, in which case it could have run me down. ?! It was going fast and was out of sight in a very few minutes.
I got a sun shot about 6 p.m. ship time. It showed we’ve passed W39 and are well on our way to W38. I’m going to take some Dexedrine and keep going all night, unless it gets too blustery. Then I’ll heave to for a sleep.
The wind has been just fine all day. Just right to keep us going at a good rate, but not too hard. I hope it keeps up like this all night. It’s been cloudy all day except the sun obligingly came out for my noon and evening shots.
I want to get down to the W20s by July 21 or 22.
Kept moving all night. It was pretty good sailing. The full moon came out and it was beautiful, but it only lasted 15 minutes or so. Clouds blotted out moon, stars and everything as usual.
Wednesday, July 14
Cloudy wet morning. I’ve stopped for breakfast. Repaired rudder holding up OK so far, but I can feel terrific strains being put on it. Hope it can take it. Tiller seems to be coming unglued in one place. I’ll tighten down the bolt and then I think it’ll be OK.
Barometer down 1/5 inch (I guess) so I suppose there’s more bad weather in store.
Ought to get down to about W37 by tonight. Just two more degrees after that and I’ll be half way. Hope the second half is easier than the first.
The day cleared up into one of the nicest days I’ve had so far. Just a few little cottony clouds. Evening sun shot showed we are just east of W37. If I can keep up this rate of progress we ought to be there (Falmouth) by Aug. 15.
Well, I’ll get going now. We’ll go a little further tonight, then get some sleep. But we must get an early start tomorrow.
Thursday, July 15
Not getting a very early start today because I took time to write another letter to Virginia and the Coast Guard Rescue headquarters in the U.S. and England. But now I must have breakfast and get cracking.
This has been a wonderful, sunny day, of which there have been too few. I would have liked a slightly stronger wind at times, but we kept moving along just the same.
The barometer is rising, thank goodness, so this weather may continue. I’m going to try the self-steering tonight because I have a wind from the southwest and it’s not too strong.
Friday, July 16
The self-steering worked pretty well. Kept Tink headed east for about six hours while I got some sleep. Luckily the wind held steady from the west and did not get too strong. Tink weaves a bit, but that isn’t such a serious fault. It could be corrected with shock cord of the right diameter.
Morning sun shot showed that we are only about 25 miles from W35, the half-way point. Hurrah! Looks like this may be a partly sunny day, at least.
Now back to sailing.
(Oh, I should mention that a small group of dolphins passed close last night just at dusk. Probably about four in the group).
Saw a ship hull down over the horizon off the port side this morning. Probably headed for the English Channel, as we are.
Sailing was good all day and not a cloud in the sky, well, maybe one or two small ones in the distance. Wind picked up in later afternoon so I took a tuck in the main sail.
Had curry of chicken, peas and carrots for supper. Very good.
Saturday, July 17
Finished breakfast at about 5:30 a.m. ship time, shaved (except for moustache) and am now ready to get going. Hope to get near W33 by tonight.
It clouded up in the afternoon so I couldn’t get an evening sun shot to see how far I’d gone. I’m going to try continuing all night. Barometer is holding at about 30.8.
Sunday, July 18
I did continue all night, a night that was alternately all clear and completely clouded up. It stayed cloudy when daylight came, except for brief periods when holes appeared in the clouds.
Managed to get a sextant shot and found we are between W32 and W31. Nice progress. Ought to be through the 30’s by the 20th. If I keep on making that good time I’ll surely be in Falmouth by Aug. 15.
I’m turning in early, absolutely fagged out. But I still hope to get an early start tomorrow. Saw a ship go by on port side last night.
