At Castine Maine

Saturday, 19 May     Day 16   Daily Log   Voyage #  0107

Photo of the day......taken Friday the 18th.

So what's new today?

We had a bit of action last night as some, what we assume were, Spanish Authorities with Helicopter and Fast boat were chasing a dark black colored high speed craft which came right toward us on the port side, ducked under the bow and continued on to the East with the others in chase.  The chopper actually came around our stern and picked up the boat on our starboard side and away they went.  No radio chatter so we suspect some secure government channel/frequency.  Interesting event and it reinforced the need for diligence to our students. 

We are traveling up the Spanish coast and will turn back South after going around the island of Ibiza.  We also saw on our NAVTEX printer that there would be America's Cup trials off Valencia and shipping was warned of race activities.  Last clock change before Gibraltar will be tonight and for those really closely watching where we are, we bounced across the Greenwich Meridian and are now in East Longitude.

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Position at 1200 Local Time (LT)                                                   Zone Description +1 hours
Latitude  38-19.2 N  Longitude  000-06.9 E

Noon to noon (or Departure to Noon or Noon to Arrival):  
Distance:     326.1  Nmiles
Time run:     24 hrs  00  min
Average Speed.  13.6  Kts
Total passage distance:     3343.4    Nmiles       (to date)
Total passage Time:   10  Days   12 Hours   45  Minutes
Total Average Speed:   13.2   Kts

ETA Gibraltar  21 May  at 0800 Local time (ZT +2 hours) 0600 UTC

Daily Routine today.

Advance Clocks 1 hour tonight

Wind:  NE'ly   10 Knots
Sea:     Small NE'ly
Swell:  Low NE'ly
Sky:    Sunny
Temperature:  71 Air    65  Sea   

Synopsis:  High dominates

Daily Basketball extravaganza

If you stop at sea you hoist the "Not Under Command" day shapes. 

Ahhhh....the good life!

Southbound Cruise Ship early this morning, with Spanish mountains behind.  Still snow on some of the peaks.

Gibraltar Info:            

Odessa Info:

Split Info:

Halifax Info:

Rockland/Castine  Excursion:

Rockland to Castine the day we arrive back at our home berth (30 June) has been designated as a possible "excursion day".  The U.S. Coast Guard has granted us a permit to take extra persons on board above our vessels certification.  To do this we have to have certain lifesaving procedures and equipment on board.  Accordingly the numbers we can take are strictly limited.  We, of necessity,  have limited our guests to 2 persons per upper class student on cruise (immediate family members only) plus official MMA invitees and crew member guests.  We can not offer more because we do not have the lifesaving capability.  Also this is always a tentative adventure which, because of weather, security, operational difficulties etc. may be cancelled up to the last moment.  The security issue is becoming a big item in how we offer and execute these excursions, so for those who are planning to attend please be patient with the necessary safety and security procedures.

Castine to Gibraltar

Gibraltar to Odessa

Odessa to Split

Split to Halifax

Halifax to Rockland / Castine

TOTAL Cruise Mileage:      

    3800   Nautical Miles (Estimated)

    2260   Nautical Miles  (Estimated)

    1530   Nautical Miles   (Estimated)

    4460   Nautical Miles   (Estimated)

       280  Nautical Miles   (Estimated)

    12,330  Nautical Miles  (Estimated)