Date & Time 07-01-2012

0000hrs (GMT +8 ) 
Position:- 04* 21’.5 S 110* 48’.5 E 
Course:- 270* 
Speed:- 3.4 Knots 
Wind:- WNW 17 Knots (Force 5 Fresh Breeze) 
Sea State:- Rough  (8 to 12 feet, Large wages with steep faces, some breaking waves with white horses prevalent)  
Weather:- Squally conditions with driving rain

Temp 79F 

Distance to go:- 593 nautical miles 

Java Sea.

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/NGAViewer/71033.shtml

We are south of Tanjung Selaka point.  

Weather conditions have continued to deteriorate due to a steady run of squalls, some up above 50 knots, that have continued to heap the sea up in the last 12 hours.

The forecast is for it to reduce but this is monsoon season and, although should be predictable to better degree of accuracy, it is proving to be more temperamental.  

The motion is uncomfortable with a near constant slamming even though we have reduced speed and altered the trim of the vessel to counteract it.

We have also altered out course to the west to put the worst of the swells on out starboard bow and will alter to the north later to then put the swells on our port bow to try and reduce the slamming.

The shelter from the NE monsoon that was to be afforded by Borneo has not transpired as the NW squalls are more relentless than expected.

We are expecting for conditions to be worse and to feel the full brunt of the NE monsoon when we attempt to cross the South China Sea on our last leg to Singapore, however we are hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

I haven’t been able to get on the heli deck for three days now due to high winds and rain and am missing my sunrise walks and afternoon bronzy strolls.     

 

The music today comes from a Totalfrance poster (suki007) who is the lead singer  with the band Spythriller and just about to start a tour. Hopefully she will also be starting a blog about life on that tour.

She wrote it with Robert Fripp (King Crimson) and Bill Rieflin (REM) and I am sure she would be delighted to hear from anyone about the track.

I think it sounds like a Bond movie track and although it has a definite UK influence it also carries a European pop feel.

See what you think 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ7uFnCqxos

Love and Peace

Bentley