‘A Ship, an oil rig and a sickle Moon’.

1300hrs pos: 58 degrees 54.3 N/002 deg 34.0E

Log:145.1m

The last 24 hours have been full of inaction as the winds have dropped off and we are making 0.1kt in light variable winds in any direction we can get Tenacious to hold!

But that doesn’t mean that we are bored. We have a good sociable crew, and our Norwegian guests are certainly enlivening our social and work time on the ship, and eating the ship out of all the biscuits because, apparently, they don’t have biscuits in Norway!

But it is the night time watches that are fascinating. Last evening, after hours of trying to avoid a huge oil rig and its tugs on a flat, serene sea, we had the most wonderous rising of the moon. 

Although, being at sea is always an adventure, it is the moonlit night watches that are my favourite. They are also the favourites of our sea poets like, Maesfield, James Elroy Flicker, Fox Smith. Shakespeare describes the difference between the brash sun and the beauty of the moon.

So, there were we on first watch, within sight of an oil rig and a tall-ship, and a backdrop of this huge sickle moon shining its light down across the still sea to our ship. And always, our crew are on the lookout for awkward Orcas or a dolphin or two, but remain frustrated but hopeful of a visit.

And such a night is timeless. The juxtaposition of a tall-ship and oil rig with the timeless moon.

The time of tall-ships as passed, and the time of oil is passing.  

So, to sum up our current position, miles to is miles away!

Mike Travis, voyage crew, F’ward Port

Andy Milner W/L

Lisa Magill

Megan Whitley

Ian Henry Raganrsson

Annika Raganarsdottir

Kath Hughes

Drew Tombs

Ange Harrison.