Chapter One - g) - Monday 30th January, 1956

Monday 30th January, 1956

Logged 112 miles

Sea down slightly but "Penelope" continues rolling like a beer barrel. Poor Oliver is still under the weather. He said "I guess I'll never learn. I had an idea that a sailboat, without engine smells, would be less hard on the stomach". Holding his tummy hard seems the only slight relief. "Oh, this ketch"! said he, mournfully. In a day or two he will find his sea legs, I hope.

Ran into a school of tunny fish on the morning watch and skipper and Juan tried to harpoon some, without success.

The brownish water observed yesterday after the tanker had steamed North was again seen today. This time there was no ship. Looks like whale spoor.

Oliver slightly better towards evening.

During the afternoon watch the diesel starter motor commenced working on it's own and it was necessary to disconnect, immediately, the leads from the accumulators. Our efforts to locate the short-circuit, probably caused through water in the engine room, proved fruitless. This is serious, inasmuch as we cannot charge the batteries from the main engine, from now on unless we can locate the short.

Trolling for fish. No catch.