SUN. 8 MAR. 1953 - DROPPED MON. 9 MAR. 1953 LAT. 26°07'S ; LONG. 177°57 E. COURSE 248° → 268° DIST. 366 MI. ST.T. 25 HRS. AV. SP. 14.64 KT. WIND ESE 7-9 ; SEA E.S.E. ROUGH ; T.T. 17 D. 20 ft. 35m. TO BRISBANE 1339 MI. FROM BALBOA 6396 MI. FISHING FISH #3 (POSITION MIDNIGHT — LAT. 26°00'S ; LNG. 178°45'W) COULD HAVE COME ABOARD ANYTIME FROM 6-7 P.M. YESTERDAY TO SAME TIME THIS A.M. SPRAY BLOWING OVER SHIP MOST OF DAY. RAIN OFF ON. WAVES LOOK STEEP AS THEY ROLL IN OUR PORT QUARTER, BUT WHEN SEEN BROADSIDE ON THEY FLATTEN OUT. NOT OVER 20 FEET FROM CREST TO TROUGH. SEA MODERATING RAPIDLY IN PM. CAPTAIN INVITED MEN TO BRIDGE. 2ND MATE (NAVIGATION OFFICER) SHOWED US AROUND AND EXPLAINED ALL DEVICES + CHARTS. THEN CAPTAIN HAD US DOWN TO HIS CABIN FOR COCKTAILS (I HAD AUSTRALIAN PORT — TERRIBLE!). READ MOST OF EVENING IN MATE'S CABIN. TALKED WITH 3RD ENGINEER UNTIL 1 A.M., WITH 3RD MATE ON BRIDGE UNTIL 2 A.M. LOVELY NIGHT SKY — STARS BRIGHT — SOUTHERN CROSS ALMOST OVER HEAD — MOON ON THE WANE. STILL BLOWING STRONG. 6-7 PETRELS DURING DAY CROSSED INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE EARLY THIS A.M. LONGITUDE CHANGES FROM WEST OF GREENWICH TO EAST.