Late that day the wind dropped a little, changed to south west and for a short while blew with renewed vigour before easing. With the fall in wind, the opportunity to clean up offered itself, a formidable task, particularly for Jill who did not once complain, although she had been unable to retain food or water without retching abominably during the previous three days.
The first thing was to clear the bilge as we had taken an enormous amount of water for a steel boat, the level being just below the floor boards. The force with which the water was driven in, through the most unlikely places, was extraordinary. We had scaled with electrician's tape all sky lights thoroughly before leaving Research Bay so while most of the water was driven in when we had been overcome, a great deal had entered via the closed hatch, which, to provide convenient entry and egress, cannot easily be made water tight. Furthermore consideration of the fact that the simplest act is nigh impossible, rules out clever clamping and sealing devices. The main companionway is I feel the weak spot.
Our main concern however was for our position. With no sight of the sun for Five days, running before the wind and sea as we had, we were anxious about our proximity to the Snares. The possibility of having passed Steward Island could not be overlooked. A D/F radio fix was out of the question, as affected probably by the steel hull, the expensive U.S. D/F set had proved absurdly unreliable. However, inspection of the Admiralty radio signals revealed that there was D/F equipment at Bluff. I attempted contact with Awarua Radio at Bluff in an attempt to establish our position line in relation to them, by allowing them to take bearings of our radio signal while we transmitted. Awarua Radio, represented by a precise and well modulated voice, came in loud and clear.
Arrangements were made to ready the D/F equipment housed in a separate shack and while we stood by these plans were interrupted by an infuriating dumper which came down the hatch as Jill and I emerged, driving us back and flooding the chart table, the auto pilot and radio, a satisfactory means of terminating a conversation which could be a recommended method of coping with radio hogs on the small ships' channel. I would strongly encourage anyone installing a set, to put it at the forward end of the saloon. With Kleenex, pencils and anti wetting sprays, between retching I temporarily restored the transmitter only. This treatment had occupied about two hours. With Jill on deck holding a portable receiver set in a plastic bag we miraculously re-established contact with Bluff.