Sunday 21st November, 1971
Day 9 at sea. We sailed up through the Strait of Belle Isle between Labrador and Newfoundland at night, and are now in the Atlantic Ocean. We have drinks in the captain’s cabin. I start to get a bit of a sore throat, which is not normal for me.
The weather is okay. The ship rolls a bit in the sea swells, but this is also okay. It’s only the first two or three days at sea that make me unwell; after that, it doesn’t matter how rough it gets.
Monday 22nd November, 1971
Day 10 at sea. I miss breakfast, as I forgot to put my time ahead one hour. I spend most of the day in bed, as I have a cold, but I’m up for meals—feed a cold, starve a fever.
The ship is rolling in thick fog and the bosun has been drunk all day.
Tuesday 23rd November, 1971
Day 11 at sea. I work inside most of the day, painting the day room. I still have a cold and am not feeling 100%.
Wednesday 24th November, 1971
Day 12 at sea. I’m still painting, and I still have a cold. I have a few beers with Scottie and two Canadian guys, and then make pancakes. I watch others’ very unsuccessful attempts and have a bit of a giggle at them before making the pancakes myself. Since my pancakes are always perfect, I’m made the ship’s official pancake maker.
One of the crew comes into the day room with his jacket wrapped around a very large Canadian Owl with tufted ears. It came aboard at night while we passed through the Strait of Belle Isle, and some of the crew are refusing to work in the forecastle while it’s there.
No one knows what to do with it, so I get my motorcycle gloves and take it to my cabin. We get on very well together, and after a bit of time it starts to eat a bit of fresh meat from the galley. It’s very placid, not flighty at all.