The shadow over the fence - 6556 16813 around midday.

We rounded C. Prince of Wales a couple of hours ago and are now running just east of North - yeeehaaa! - poled out in a 15 kt southerly. Those whom the Examiner wishes to test, she first makes happy and complacent! We are running more or less parallel with the Russian border, north of the Diomedes and about 18 miles to the east. Interesting that there is a vessel about 10 miles the other side of the border keeping pace with us. I have his AIS signal with his position, but he's not sending any ID, so perhaps the border guards are watching us! The Diomedes are wreathed in fog - I think relatively warm moist air being lifted, condensing water vapour and then the fog being blown down and around the islands over a cold sea. Fascinating to observe - pity I can't send you the photos. Our friend over there is too far away to see even with binoculars, but I can see C. Dezhneva clearly.

If all goes well, we should be in position to offer Neptune an Arctic Circle beer from Sydney in about 5 hours or 35 miles.

Later - 6621 16814 - our shadow has gone but we were passed by a merchant ship heading south, the Ocean Baron, 225 metres long, bound for Balboa, Panama. Didn't expect one of those up here - it draws 12 metres, so I wonder where it has come from. It is on the US side of the border. Did not see it, so don't know what sort of ship.

8 miles to the Arctic Circle - misty, cold rain, doing about 7 knots still poled out in a freshening southerly, due to go north tomoz.

And so it came to pass - we crossed the AC in cold misty rain at 1849 Nome time at 16818W. Pete, we gave Neptune a drop of your April brew and he pronounced it good, so we drank the rest. If anyone is seeing Potter, please tell him we have consulted deeply with Dr Gordon on his behalf before and after the AC.

Later still 6706 16821 and 0021 Nome time southerly still blowing - cold, wet and dismal but moving north. Comms very flaky will try this via iridium. Just heard Taupo radio NZ on 6224 - famiiar voices!

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com