We are nearing the eastern extremity of Elephant Island. Tom Crean has been under tow from Pelagic since 1700 GMT yesterday 17th January. The decision to leave Potters Cove for the open sea was prompted by a sudden drop in wind speed from Gale Force 8 to Force 2 within only four hours. The south westerly cold front had passed through the day before and the morning's weather map from Chile backed up the local portents of a drop in windspeed on the back side of the depression.

Although the previously strong winds were from a favourable south westerly direction, we ruled out an earlier departure because the eastern side of the entrance to Maxwell Bay would have been a dangerous lee shore.

We said good-bye to Adolfo, the Argentine base commander of Jubany at 1200 yesterday and had a hasty risotto for lunch. The anchor was up and we were on our way by 1400.

Paddy, Jamie, Frank, Mike and Jarlath were aboard the Tom Crean, which was tethered to a short tow rope. Later we had to lengthen it, as we began to encounter the dying swell offshore. Apparently they had a bouncy and cramped but otherwise comfortable night 100 meters astern Pelagic. Meanwhile on Pelagic we were luxuriating in the space below formerly occupied by ten, now reduced to five; myself, Elena, John, Patrick and Mick.

The 17th January evening weather map had the good weather continuing through the 18th, with a miraculous ridge of high pressure holding off a fierce depression 1200 miles to the west - our next little challenge! Only a trickle of a breeze was wafting in from the south westerly quarter, so the tow was obligatory if we were to land on Elephant Island today.

Two humpback whales cruised by just before sunset on their way to feeding grounds further south on the peninsula. Looking aft, Tom Crean, with her tiny cockpit full to capacity with figures clad in red foulweather gear, was silhouetted against the sunset along with a lone iceberg we had passed close by some minutes before. All in all we were off to a fine start! Today we will attempt a landing at Cape Valentine, where Shackleton's three boats first came ashore and then later hopefully at Point Wild where the James Caird, now reincarnated as the Tom Crean, set off on the epic voyage to South Georgia nearly 81 years ago.

Skip Novak