WED. - FEB. 18, 1948 Aist. 379 Day 24 Hrs. 30 Speed 15.45 KN. 676 From Auckland ; 601 To Sydney ON BOARD S/S MARINE PHOENIX LAT. 34-26 S LONG. 163-19 E COURSE - VAR. BACK TO NORMAL TODAY. NO LAND IN SIGHT - AT NOON WE WERE 1/2 WAY ACROSS THE TASMAN SEA. THE BLOW OF LAST NIGHT + EARLY A.M. WAS LEFT BEHIND BY NOON + WE HAVE ANOTHER CALM UNRUFFLED SEA. I SAW MY FIRST WHALES ON THIS VOYAGE THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT 4:~5: THEY WERE HEADED EAST - AT LEAST 6 IN GROUP - THE SPOUT WAS LOW + ROUNDED. THEY DID NOT APPEAR TO BE LARGE WHALES - NO VERY OBVIOUS HUMP OR FINS. PASSED ABOUT 1/2 MILE OFF OUR PORT QUARTER. LATER, ABOUT 5:30, WE CAME UP WITH A SCHOOL OF ABOUT 80 "PORPOISES" - AS WE NEARED THEM THEY STARTED TO LEAP CLEAN OUT OF WATER, AND HEADED OFF TO THE SOUTH. A DARK STREAM ALONG THE SIDE + DARK MARKINGS ABOUT THE HEAD. SEA CALM AT TIME SO LEAPS QUITE IMPRESSIVE - SMALL TAIL, SMALL DORSAL FIN. MRS. SPEIGHT ALSO REPORTED SEEING AN ANIMAL WHICH WE DECIDED WAS A SUN FISH HOLLING ON ITS SIDE. A FLOCK OF 6 TROPIC-BIRDS SHOWED UP ABOUT 3:30 P.M. - ALL RED-TAILED. STAYED WITH SHIP FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. NO ALBATROSSES SHOWED UP ALL DAY TODAY. HOWEVER, THE SOOTY + PALE-FOOTED SHEARWATERS WERE WITH US ALL DAY LONG. MANY OF THEM WERE RESTING ON THE WATER + MOVED ONLY WHEN SHIP CLOSED IN. NUMBERS RAN ABOUT 100 SOOTY, 25 PALE-FOOTED. ANOTHER SMALL TO MEDIUM PETREL, DARK ABOVE WITH DEEP DIP OF BLACK ON SIDES OF HEAD. WHITE OF UNDERPARTS SEEMED TO COME WELL UP IN FRONT OF EYE. WHITE AREA RAN WELL OUT UNDER WINGS - VENTRAL LEADING EDGE DARK. FLAPPED QUICKLY + COASTED ONLY A LITTLE. MR. SPEIGHT SAID HE SAW A STORM-PETREL (WHITE RUMP) - SEEMED A LITTLE LARGE FOR WILSON'S [illegible]. ONE FLOCK OF 50 MIXED PETRELS OVER SCHOOL OF FISH (H. GOEBEL - REPORTED). GEOFF + I TALKED OVER OUR SYDNEY PLANS - IT WILL BE A RUSH TO FINISH EVERY THING ON FRIDAY. P.R. STRINE STILL ON - MAY HAVE TO FLY TO BRISBANE YET. TOOK MY FRUIT PIGEON BODY, DEPULSED, AND HUNG UP TO DRY. SEWED WINGS OF F. PIG. TOGETHER TODAY. WILL WRAP TO- MORROW + H.G. CAN MAIL BY PARCEL POST WHEN HE ARRIVES BACK IN SAN FRANCISCO. SEALED UP SECOND ROLL OF 35MM. FILM. H.G. WILL MAIL IN THE STATES, TOO. SLEEPY - TURNING IN NOW.