EXCLUSIVE
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1949.
THE LOG OF THE SMITHS
WHO CROSSED THE ATLANTIC IN A HOME-MADE YACHT IN 43 DAYS
BY STANLEY SMITH`·
ERE is the log of the 20ft.. home mudo yacht Nova Espero - New Hope-in, which I and ту brather
have Colin -crossed the Atlantic from Dartmouth. Nova Scotia, to Dartmouth, Devon, in 43 days.
But first I want to tell you of the most terrifying It moment of the voynge. was at midnight on July 18.-
The sea. was dead calm. I was up doing my watch, and writing poetry by the light of the lantern at the balm. I could not see a thlog, It was like -etianity.
σαπισ
Then suddenly a huge whale was attracted by the light al alongside. I hurriedly took the lantern down below. I whale wondered wither the would become too curious.
went away.
Whale charged towards me
It
I brought the lantern up again. AL once 10 whale charged towards me. Then I heard something fresh, — an awful swishing sound,
I am sure it was a giant oeto- pus. I was petrifled. I doused the lamp and sat numbed with fright. And down below Colin slept.
We learned! this thing from Un voyage: It is not a good thing to make a Habit of cross- ing the North Atlanlle In # 20ft. boat. We have just about had enough-but there are other
reasons.
Now here is the log:-
July 8: Left Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 11.20 G.M.T. Clear sky, wind dying to nought, during morning, freshened later after- noon. Speed 3.5 knots.
July 7: My right hand is in
quilo bite. Large gathering on
the
MAINBI—Mainsall,
bir sall aft of malumast. TRYS'L-Telangular MALII taking place of mains'i when it is blowing. STAYSL, FONES'L, and JIB-Small walls Ned forward of mainmaxi. DROGUE-Canvas sed
ked sackor,
io keep ship's head to wes in hravy weather. REEF ---To take in sail SPITFIRE Very small
forexall.
pro-
NO EASTING-No gress eastwards, GAFF-Spar which takes
head of mainst SARGASSO WEED.-
Weed from Sargasso Sea which drifts Across Atlantic, No weed show- ed we were out of the Gulf Stream. GAFF JAWS.-Fitting
maxt.
G.5. — GREEN
Insignia of movement.
ать
STAK Esperanto
July 11: No entry. (Comment by Stanley: "Mu hand was too painful to write.") July 12 Colin called me out at 0830 as the ship-Mormacelm came up. She stopped, took our name, gave us our position. Rest of day becalmed. At 1800 shoat of whales came lumbering by One hung alongsida for several feet from minutes about four us.
(Comment: "The whale was like a grey-painted submarine. I threte my cigarette end out to starboard, rather than stub it out on the whale's back.")
July 13: Sens became so dan- Eerous we had to lie to ut 1100 this morning and have continuet so rest of day. Altogether, G miserable day.
July 14: Another bud day.
did
not
(Comment: This make for comfort as there were still blg seas and no steadying wind. It meant dashing about for hours on end.")
July 20: No entry.
July 21 Until 1500 a fine sail ing breeze-aired beds, etc. Later became overcast and wind soon increased to force 8. First under full maina'l and stays'l. then reef-in main, set trys' in Ils place and handed stays'l and set spilfire along with sea on- chor. Grim times.
July 22 Wind suddenly in- creased even more and kicked up the most terrific ceas I have ever seen.
to They began diminish to normal heavy after three hourE.
(Comment:
"When the scor were at their worst it was as if we were Lilliputians set in the middle of three or four stam- peding herds of Brobding- naglan elephants. We felt a little out of proportion.")
Aired beds. but seas are heavy
July 23: Wind dropped to near nothing, still leaving heavy, lumbering seas all day. Aired.
beds, etc.
yarda, greased riggings and gaff out of Halifax Harbour. This was the first sight of land. We Jaws etc.
felt happy and we finished the last tots of rum.
August 3: No entry,
August 4: Had to dowso July 24 Fairly reasonable main and call on under stays day, munny spells. Water much ill that, too, had to come down types of marine colder. No sargusso word, New to be replaced by storm jib and
fe and sea sea anchor. birds seen, seeming to Indicato our position us somewhere near Western tip of sinck-motion
area.
July 25: Weather helpful, but Very heavy seas, unpleasant, sometimes breaking aboard.
July 26: Water noticeably warmer again. Wind dropped a little and we set main.
July 27: Very cold in morn- ing. Slight breeze from north. Feel hopeful our position may be near our dead reckoning es- timate.
August 5: We had a terrible night, with $249 breaking over and down into bilge, mak- ing everything us wet as it could be. We were as uncomfortable as could possibly be imagined.
August 9: Wind died off pleasant afternoon, with a more settled and placid sky.
August 7: Perfect sailing conditions for about the first time on this trip.
August 11: Calm all day,
Made only ten miles Sewed CS read poetry. on mainsail Cooked, slept and
August 12: Flat calm all day, No progress. Water getting low and provisions now very short, Hard on us, but no real worry.
Stanley Smith, with ono wrist bandaged, puts the final entries in the log. of tho Nova Espera after landing in Brother Colin looks on.
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again after air terrible ordeal. They brought fresh fruit-and three cigarettes.
After a brief chat they went back. We were astounded ai
August 13: Fiat calm. Chased fishing craft and came along the stir we had created in Eng- side Etoile Folatre, the crew land. Later had our last meal-
steamed potatoes, toast (no bul- were very kind and general fer), split peas, supplies down We exchanged a few sticks of three biscuits, a
to
few tobacco for water, coffee, and and a pinch of sugar. sugar, and they gave us a huge nearly all gone. Between aght basket of fish. We gave them of plane and the launch Coln our autographs.
shaved. Ishaved us the run
August 14: Flat calm. I read went down. This was our first Shaw's "Man and Superman" shave in 43 days. all through while Colin slept, and worked out star perfect, cooked sail breeze for larger sights. vessel. We had to have one
August 15: Some
August 8: Wenther
Whole The biscuits
weather.
a bad way with an infected mos- Wind force 7 to 8, rain. 'love at lancing it with my renkaite, when we were able to get under were floating about reef. Rather heavy seas spoil Came alongside yacht Galahad, back. At daybreak had a shot to all day, except for evening but although, I cut pretty deep way. Made no casting,
I could not reduce it only.
Hand useless
yet cooked a meal
Rflair-rose
July 15 Daybreak was an July 28 Wind quickly in
gaudy extremely
creased from south, and we had (primrose,
to drop the mains'l and run be- favourite), my
w fore it. orange, gold, silver, blues, and greys. I expected a bad day as to weather. Yet it has been very line.
July 8 Wind became strong west,
(Commeat;
"This was awk-
Home, and
a big reception
August 18: Neur home.
We
are becalmed off Salcombe, Four mil's cast of Start Point Cus-
it somewhat for us, but we are 50 miles north-west of Long- for this turn in the ships. Went aboard, had a de- thankful
which has been bad llelous supper of fried eggs,
bread, and honey. Replenished toms launch came alongside and weather, until now.
our water supply, can now have, cleared us. tea twice dally.
A nightmare
war as we were making no Fine, strong wind, casting, and consequently rations alongside a drifter Made hot curry stew with must be made to last longer.")
July 29: Weather absolutely
and remained to until sunset, spuds, onions, noodles, etc. Colia Sens became very steep with very appreciative. Wind died intermitent heavy while caps, at 1900.
which washed aboard heavily
until we allered course.
Sleep
breaking reas uncomfortable,
Good progress,
July : Sky cloudless most of then the rain came the day. We had almost every-
thing out drying-bedding, walls,
foul.
It is now 07.30 hours. Naval August 16: Flat calm. Sighted launch сате alongside with the Scilly Islands at 1300. Then message and congratulations Sighted from Royal Navy Commander- made good progress. Wolf Rock Lighthouse. A good in-Chief Plymouth,
Mum and August 9: Seas mere un- breeze now.
Dad came alongside with Mayor of Dartmouth. comfortable,
War nearly
We are sur- August 17: Breeze holding. overboard while at-
ed into harbour. Harbour mas- washed
around all day. Олсо, само tempting to lace mains' to top Lizard obeam. Aircraft circled rounded by fleets of boats. Sail- of gait. Colin actually fell over-
reception. Wo are amazed. board later during lunchtime, I down low, and, to our joy, we ter towed us to berth, What a mcognised dad and mum and Thousands of people all cheer- below at was down
family aboard. Later in tho ing. Civle reception on the cooking, and, fortunately,
evening
launch. came if I had been asleep alongside
quayside. We are home at last, with dad, mum, lum go. it in doubtful if his cry would sister Avril, brother Gerald, and and thankful so to be. forward have been loud enough to wake Aunt Win. We were overcome.
A me.
It was wonderful to see family
July 30 Weather fair. Wind fairly sady all day, giving us reasonably good day's run.
mixturë
saw
tax. Fed stormy petrels with July 17 Terrible day, with floor, the whole of our cabin was "Gosh the boat looks fine from
ship's biscuits
July 31: Desperately miser able day. Turned to complete matches, etc. My mosquito bile July 16: Wind got up from hell when, having heard a per- has turned into a very painful north yesterday evening, blow- sistent banging in forward com five-cored carbuncle. I have had ing us along beautifully au partment, I struggled a terrible time trying to work night. Good progress unti rain and opened bullhead door. these uut, hand so swollen. I chime, with rapidly increasing deluge of about 30 gallons of the
(Comment by Stanicy: im- of broken repulsive have been quite unable to use it wind to gale force. Lost hatch
and sea 1er. mediately jumped from below to very ship's biscuits
water- for the last three days, bul cook in dark. Bashed my hand-very flooded aft, and as there was so helm, and sato Colin in water od a very good mid-day meal, painful,
He yelled: much motion and it covered about 50ft. asetrn the first real meal we've had so
gale and very heavy seas. Un the mess.
soon smothered completely with here, I laughed, jibbed round, five minutes had Spent rest of day and within drogue; a day drifted couth (Comment by Stanley: "Mun. 1900. When seas
trying to make the ship habit- dragged him aboard again.") hand wax really bad. I couldn't
able again.
August 10: Rain all day. use my Angers at all. My hand tie got under way with trys'
sail. Steered with and stays
¡Comment: "The stinking Dowsed all was like a football.")
July 10: Towards sunset be-
mcas reduced our store of staple lines from below. According to food, Icaving us about half a tin Colin we were 30 miles S.W. of came very threatening.
Felt extremely. of biscuits Instead of four tins.") Fastnet Point.
Saw depressed. Still raiding. August 1: Got our position two Spanish drifters, and had a and time check from the ship nightmare time alongside one of Nordia. It appears we have an them. Nearly got bashed. two vessels about eight miles to at about 0800, and was very other 1,000 miles to go-a bit of Forty-five minutes inter sighted southward. Evening: brought soon well up to gole force. Con- a shock after optimistic guess Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse. down main and set trys' for first tinued so until 2230, when
work of the past few days. This cheered us. We remember- died quickly off to nothing.
August 2: Fint calm. Aired ed the rum given to us by the a few things, renewed all lan- little black schooner on our way
Large
school of porpoises around, some
of which leaped up to four or five feet clear of the surface.
died a
July 18: Beautiful breeze but It quickly dled to nothing.
July 19: Very hard day, in-
Saw my Arst flying-fish, sighted deed. Wind got up from west
iime.
up.
LOG ENDS
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From Thi
This picture taken in mid-Atlantic on July| two whales passing just a little« bir-
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