Feast from the oil tanker Belgulf Glory.
Logbook of Tinkerbelle – Part 10
Monday, Aug. 2
The barometer’s still down at 30.3, but it seems to be holding there and the waves seem to be down just a bit so I’m going to try to proceed. It’ll be wet and not much fun, but we must do it.
I was wrong! It was wonderful sailing. Breeze was just right and the sun came out as the clouds thinned out. We made good progress.
Conditions were so good I decided to continue through the night. It was very dark. Black clouds drifted over every now and then and dropped rain, so it was wet. The breeze grew very light, but we kept going.
At dawn the wind shifted into the east. Rather than fight it tacking, I hove-to to wait for it to change.
I’ve been here for several hours now and the wind is shifting into the north. I’ll be able to get going again soon.
Tuesday, Aug. 3
The early events of today are in the previous section, under Aug. 2.
The sea was really confused for awhile this morning. The waves had been coming from the south; then the wind shifted to the north and started waves moving south from the north. When the waves met they peaked and caused quite a confused condition. I can still see the pattern going in opposite directions.
The sailing was good for awhile and then the wind shifted into the northeast which made things impossible. I did the best I could for awhile and then quit. Hope the wind is better tomorrow.
A ship passed to port, headed for the Channel. It worries me to see a ship miles from the shipping lane. Now to bed. Hah! Did I say bed?
Wednesday, Aug. 4
Boy! The wind’s going back on me. Still from northeast, which will mean tacking and much work for little progress, since Tink doesn’t go to windward very well. Or else a wait for a wind change and getting in later than Aug. 15.
The barometer’s still way down, 30.25. Hope that doesn’t mean more gales ahead.
I had a big breakfast, cereal and scrambled eggs and bacon.
It’s cloudy and dull, as usual.
What a surprise! The clouds all cleared up and left me with a glorious sunny day. And the wind came around to west and northwest. So the sailing was perfect. There were fluffy, cottony clouds, but not the dark, rainy variety.
We encountered another shark. About the same relationship to Tink as the first shark, only we didn’t nearly run into this one. Five to seven feet long, I estimated.
The nice day gave my morale a terrific lift. Kept going all night, to take advantage of the weather.
Thursday, Aug. 5
This is the day I’d hoped to reach W15º, but I guess I’ll be stuck at W16º.
It was good sailing all last night. But early this morning we went through some rain squalls. Then, just before noon, all the rain clouds vanished, the sun and fluffy white clouds came out, but the wind vanished. We’ve been becalmed for about 3 hours so far. Hope a breeze comes soon.
A breeze finally sprang up and got quite strong quickly. We went zipping along.
The late afternoon sight put us well on the way to W15 from W16, and we’re about 8 miles north of N49. We ought to be in Falmouth in 10 days if everything goes well.
Wish we could go on all night tonight. It looks like good sailing. But I must get sleep. Can’t go on forever without it.
Friday, Aug. 6
This was a nice sailing day — sunny with fluffy clouds. I can hardly believe I’m getting all this good weather. It’s quite a switch. Hope it continues.
We’re about half way to W14 (it’s now 6 p.m. ship time). I’ve just finished a huge supper of curried turkey and peas. I’ll go on sailing until it starts getting dark. Then I’ll size things up and decide whether to stop for sleep or go on all night. This good weather should be used to the fullest.
I hadn’t seen a ship for days and, of course, thought I was miles from the shipping lanes, which I was. But about 5 p.m. I began hearing a sound that I at first thought was a plane. Then I looked around and it was a ship almost on top of me. It was Italian — the Sirio of Palermo. It went by awfully close and fast. I was afraid the bow or stern waves might tip us over, but we rode them all right. The crew at the rail gave us a hearty cheer and, as usual, snapped our picture.
I continued all night. Saw about five more ships. They’re getting thick.
Saturday, Aug. 7
After two sunny days, it’s cloudy again today. Barometer’s holding up, though, 30.7. The sun only peeked out from between the clouds a few times.
The breeze was very light and shortly after noon (ship’s time) it died out altogether. It didn’t return until Sunday morning. So I rested. Sun shots showed us bearing down on W13. Progress.
Sunday, Aug. 8
Overslept a little, I’m afraid. But I’m now ready to go, having had breakfast, at 7 a.m. (ship’s time).
The breeze, which had been from the north before I was becalmed, sprang up from the southeast in the morning, and too far east for me to hold my course of 085ºT. I had to switch to 057ºT. I hope the wind shifts later so I can get back down to the true course.
About noon (ship time) I was overtaken by a Belgian tanker, Belgulf Glory of Antwerp. The captain was a very nice man. He gave me my position, N49º30′-W12º45′; distance from Bishop Rock (270 miles) and course to Bishop Rock, 085º.
He asked me if I needed any provisions. I said no, but that it would be nice to have some fresh food. He gave me a huge loaf of bread, 1/2 pound package of chocolate with nuts in it (delicious), a big slab of Dutch butter, apples, plums, lemons, two bottles of beer, two cans of 7Up, breaded potato cakes and a whole roast chicken, fresh from the oven (and boy! was it good!).
The Belgulf Glory went too fast for me, even with its engines stopped, so it circled around about three times and each time it passed we got in a little more conversation. The captain said that he’d heard on the radio the day before that planes were searching for me. (Actually, they were searching for the American bound from Florida to Ireland).
When the ship got under way again, it gave me three blasts on its horn and I answered with three peeps on my gas-operated horn. Then the Belgulf Glory steamed off and before long was over the horizon.
The captain reported me to the Coast Guard. I thought he’d reported to the American Coast Guard, but it actually was the English Coast Guard.
About 5 p.m. (ship time) an RAF bomber flew over (under the cloud cover) then it circled and flew over a couple of more times. Each time I waved.
The next time it went over it dropped two canisters. I sailed over, pulled them aboard. They held fruit, bananas and apples, and a message welcoming me to British waters and saying the plane would bring out gentlemen of the press to see me the next day.
After I’d read the message the plane went over again and I gave it the hands clasped over the head sign. I wonder if it’ll be able to find me again tomorrow.
