16 FRI. 13 FEB. 1953 8:30 A.M. COURSE 128° DENSELY PACKED STRATO-CUMULUS EAST WIND KICKING OVER A FEW WHITE CAPS. RATHER COLD. AT LEAST 2 DOZEN H GULLS FOLLOWING; 2+ JAEGERS (ONE SOOTY WH. OTHER DARK UNDERPTS.). NO SHIPS IN SIGHT. DRY BULB TEMP. 62°F WET 55°. A LONELY COURSE. HAVE SEEN NO SHIPS TODAY. AT 5:30 THERE WERE AT LEAST 10 (POSSIBLY 12 OR MORE) JAEGERS FOLLOWING SHIP. AT NOON THERE WERE ONLY 3. THEY OFTEN REST ON WATER, PREEN + THEN OVERTAKE SHIP. NOON TODAY (SUN TIME ON SHIP) WAS AT 12:18 P.M. COURSE AT 6:30 127° WIND FALLING. VERY LITTLE MOTION TO SHIP TODAY. LAT. 25°58'N; LG. 90°58'W COURSE 136°T DIST. BY OBS. 281 MI. STEAMING TIME 18 HR. 45 MIN. AV. SP. 14.98 KT. WIND-NE 3 SEA N.E. SLIGHT TO CRISTOBAL 1214 MI. - HOUSTON 281 MI. SKY CLEARED + SUN OUT STRONG ABOUT 2:30 P.M. FIRE DRILL IN P.M. CAPTAIN'S INSPECTION THIS A.M. HERRING GULL WITH OIL STREAK ON UNDERPARTS FOLLOW- ING US MOST OF P.M. DON'T KNOW WHEN JAEGERS JOINED US. SLOP CHEST OPEN TONIGHT FOR CREW + PASSENGERS FOOD CONTINUES GOOD. MILK AT BREAKFAST + LUNCH SALT MACHEREL GAVE ME A REAL THIRST TODAY. GEOFF BOUGHT A CASE OF GIN FROM SHIP'S BONDED STORE; HE REALLY LIKES HIS COCKTAILS. SLEEPING VERY WELL. NAPPED THIS A.M. ALMOST IN CENTER OF GULF TOMORROW. OFF YUCATAN SOON. PASS FAIRLY CLOSE.