by Colin de Mowbray
GREENLAND VOYAGE LEG 4 Crew List
ARIEL
Jim Thom (Skipper)
Alex Thompson (Mate)
Ian Wetherall (Bosun)
Richard Barski
Paul Beesley
David Cobb
Louise Cook
Jeanne Fenton
Len Grigg
Peter Gunnett
Carl Taylor

ANTIOPE
Charlie Osborne (Skipper)
Mark Hampton (Mate)
Mathew Dickinson (Guide)
Ben Boddy
Loise Driver
Keith Preston
Richard Thomas
Frits Wapstra
Alan Wilson
James Wilson
Not a lot to report from Greenland today other than Charlie's short report from Ariel. The ice situation can change quite quickly but the improving situation from the NOAA report was backed up by Sir Robin looking out of his aircraft window when he flew back. Of course it is very difficult to see the extent of the ice from sea level and even by climbing to the cross trees one still can have problems estimating what is ahead. Charlie has done the right thing by climbing a hill and having a good look to seaward but as the weather is fairly dull this might not tell the whole story. The next few days will be packed with interest so make sure you pass the word to others to follow their progress!
Colin

Antiope 1857 GMT 1 August
At Ammasalik (East Greenland)
From Charlie Osborne (Skipper)
I would love to know what your Greenland Ice chart was based on! I reckon it is gloriously optimistic and the most recent local chart shows considerably more ice around. However I resorted to climbing a hill and looking out and ended up feeling like Cortez
I reckon we will make our attempt to break out to the open sea tomorrow. There is lots of ice but it is feasible. Weather is still wet and cold and the fishing trip produced zero results so we all will be pleased to move on.
Watch this space. Charlie
by Colin de Mowbray
What is Charlie getting all literary for? This is obviously a dig at Jim who has the English degree. Anyway research has unearthed the following:
Cortes,(Cortez) Hernan Ferdinand .kOtez [1485-1547] Spanish conquistador. He conquered the Aztec empire 1519-21, and secured Mexico for Spain.
Cortes went to the West Indies as a young man and in 1518 was given command of an expedition to Mexico. Landing with only 600 men, he was at first received as a god by the Aztec emperor Montezuma II but was expelled from Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) when he was found not to be `divine'. With the aid of Indian allies he recaptured the city 1521, and overthrew the Aztec empire. His conquests eventually included most of Mexico and N Central America.
From the Dictionary of Quotations:
Or like stout Cortez when with Eagle eyes
He star'd at the Pacific - and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise -
Silent upon a peak in Darien.
Keats. On first looking into Chapman's Homer …

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