Sea 1,500 Feet Below
We see the sea at 1,500 feet between patches of cloud. Rather bumpy.
We now find ourselves between two layers of clouds, the top layer 1,000 feet above us and the lower layer 500 feet below, with occasional glimpses of sea.
The sun is now setting and gradually disappears below the lower cloud horizon, throwing a wonderful pink glow on the white clouds in every direction. Course steered, 320 degrees. Course made good, 299 degrees. Air speed, 44 knots; speed made good, 55 miles per hour.
All through this first night in the Atlantic the ordinary airship routine of navigating, steering, and elevating, also maintaining the engines in smooth-running order, goes, watch and watch, as in the daytime.
The night is very dark. The airship, however, is lighted throughout, a much enlarged lighting system having been fitted. All instruments can be individually illuminated as required, and in case of failure at the lighting system all figures and indicators are radiomized.
Lights Not Needed
The radium paint used is so luminous that in most cases the lighting installation is unnecessary.
8.20 A. M., Thursday, July 3.—The clock has been put back another hour to correct our time to Greenwich mean time. Position: Longitude 35 degrees 60 minutes west; latitude 53 degrees north.
Cooke got position by observation on sun and a good cloud horizon, and considers it accurate to within thirty and forty miles.