It was uncomfortable, but we found consolation in the reflection that without the decking we could not have used the cooker at all.
The tale of the next sixteen days is one of supreme strife amid heaving waters.

The sub-Antarctic Ocean lived up to its evil winter reputation.

I decided to run north for at least two days while the wind held and so get into warmer weather before turning to the east and laying a course for South Georgia.

We took two-hourly spells at the tiller.

The men who were not on watch crawled into the sodden sleeping- bags and tried to forget their troubles for a period; but there was no comfort in the boat.