JR Update 14th January 2013

14 January, 2013

Today did not start well and I was not sure that I would have much to write about this evening.  I did consider taking pictures of banoffee pie as the highlight of the day at one point.

In the early hours of this morning the ship took a fairly hefty roll,  which seems to have woken nearly everyone onboard…….except for me.  I have no idea how I managed to sleep through it but that is what I did.  A bit of a shock when I got into the Radio Room to discover my electronic keyer on the deck but it does seem  to have survived the fall,  thankfully.

The morning continued with some motion,  the scientists started their day at 05:00,  and by late morning the weather was turning rather miserable with some snow.  All in all not a great day.

This afternoon the James Clark Ross approached Elephant Island,  which is where Ernest Shackleton landed and started his epic voyage in the James Caird, to South Georgia.  This is to be re-enacted, starting  on the 20th January. As we got closer to land the weather started to change,  the sky cleared and the sun came out.

Wildlife Spotted

Cape Petrel
Humpback whale
Southern Fulmar
White-chinned Petrel
Chinstrap Penguins
Fin Whale
Grey-headed Albatross

Position Report @ 1500UTC

Latitude: 60° 12.0 S
Longitude: 055° 06.9 W
Bearing: 170 °T, 522 Nm from Stanley, Falkland Islands
Cruise Number: JR274
Distance Travelled: 128
Total Distance Travelled: 588
Steam Time: 17.18
Total Steam Time: 86.95
Average Speed: 7.45
Total Average Speed: 6.76
Wind: Direction SW, Force 6
Sea State: Rough
Air Temp: 0.7 °C Sea Temp: 1.2 °C
Pressure: 993.8 Tendency (3hrs): Falling

Overcast with occasional showers.

R&P moderately to moderate sea and moderate WSW’ly swell

Latterly encountered strips and small patches of brash ice & light pack ice