Off the east coast of Australia, Yuri's Night arrived - dawned? - 12 minutes ago. To all our friends who are partying, we're out there with you - have a good one and Consult properly with his ghost. I'm probably one of a very small percentage of party goers who actually remembers 12 April 1961 and Yuri. Mixed admiration, wonder and cold war apprehension - I was at Dartmouth, the Royal Navy training college in England and Yuri was big news. For me, 20 years later, when the Shuttle first launched, wonder and admiration there was in buckets, but the surprise was gone. And I remember when Yuri died - as an aviator, plane crashes are mind grabbing and when someone you feel you almost know as a friend dies it is close and sad and poignant.
Carla, if you read this in time, I don't have a number to ring you but I will crank up the satphone once we get a bit of daylight and leave it on. You can SMS a number via the Iridium.com website, I think, but I've never tried it.
Leroy, we'll call you at home this evening your time. Pascal, we'll try you at work...and if it all goes pear shaped - party on!
Not really having fun here - nasty sea and swell, no wind, Berri rolling and pitching and flopping into a 2 knot current and horribly uncomfortable. I want my teddy bear. We have the engine running but not going anywhere much. At about the same speed as Cook and the early explorers must have done the same voyage.
But the sheer joy of being able to see and almost feel the sweep of the Milky Way nearly - nearly - makes up for it all.
Ships everywhere, Must have seen over 100 since Newcastle. Parked, milling around, going places, but lots of them. Must go up and look.
Happy partying - we'll be thinking of you...
Alex
