26 July

1017mb. Light south-westerly wind. Fog midday.

A fair wind, making about four knots so that it was quite easy to leave the wheel to see that the sidelights burnt bright and clear or look under the mainsail. It was good to be quiet with just the barge and the cold black sea. When I was called about 2am just the two of us gybed on the starboard tack. Between then and daylight it gradually came thick so that the colours of the sidelights shone out on the mist. The Sandhaven siren could be heard.

Ran on as it came thicker but the bob (wind-sock/burgee) was in bright sun above and the beam wind held fair, all sail drawing and us making good headway. We decided to try our lead line of 25 fathoms and I took about half of it right to the bluff of the port bow. A barge’s lead is always cast from the port quarter, as the boat is in davits on the