SUN. 15 FEB. 1953 COURSE 138° FLAT SEA. LITTLE BREEZE, NO WHITECAPS A QUIET MORNING. GEOFF AND I ARE READING ON THE FLYING BRIDGE. SUN NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO DRIVE US DOWN. 11 A.M. HAVE BEEN TIMING FLYING FISH. 1 OUT OF WATER 22 SECONDS BY COUNT. ANOTHER PARALLELED COURSE OF SHIP FOR 3 SEC. + HELD EVEN. DIST. TRAVELED = 557 FEET (USING 15 KNOTS AS SPEED OF SHIP). THE 22 SEC. FISH WAS 10-12" LONG. HAVE BEEN READING HENSHAW WARD'S "CHARLES DARWIN" THIS A.M. IT IS GIVING ME A BETTER INSIGHT INTO HIS WORK AND THE STAGE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT EARLY IN THE 19TH CENTURY THAN ANY BOOK I HAVE EVER READ. TEMP. 11:45 A.M. 73°F WET; 81° DRY. SHIPS NOON 11:45 A.M. LAT. 17°-55' N; LONG. 82°-53' W COURSE 140° T DIST. 321 MI. ST. TIME 24 HRS. AV. SP. 13.37 KT. WIND SE 3; SEA S.E. SLIGHT TOTAL TIME 2D. 18H 45MIN. TO CRISTOBAL 552 - HOUSTON 943 MI. 3: P.M. COURSE 144°-145° GANNET FLEW OVER SHIP (EASTERLY) BLACK 1°s + 2°s. WROTE LETTERS. STUDIED STARS. MOON A THIN CRESCENT; SET ABOUT 7:30. VENUS HAS BEEN VERY BRIGHT + MAKES A LIGHT PATH ON SEA. THE NORTH STAR IS SINKING + ORION IS ALMOST OVERHEAD.