Sunday July 23. 1922

Sunday July 23

Today they have started posting up our position so we have an address to put at the head of letters and correspondence, perpetual motion has its inconveniences however, and our address only remains accurate for one moment of time. Anyway it was as follows for an instant today:

S.S Albertville

Lat. 43.55 N.

Long. 7.18 W.

In the last 24 hours we have covered 291 miles.

All clocks and watches went back another 30 minutes today so we are now 1 ¾ hours behind home time.

This morning about lunchtime we sighted land again: in a gap in the clouds to the east of us the mountains of Spain showed faintly.  Later the mist cleared and the sun broke through the clouds and we could see a long stretch of Spanish coastline. It might have been a strip of Wales (or West Scotland) and looked so familiar with lonely mountains and rugged cliffs. What we would have given for a few hours walk on grass!

The sea is a deep deep blue. Somehow – after having once been out of sight of land – the water looks much more fascinating when backed by land. We see Cape Finisterre in the distance. When we pass that point we shall be sailing due South. The Spanish Armada saw the coast we are watching as it sailed northward for England. Fortunately for us it never sailed back in the direction we are now going.

Tonight we shall probably say goodbye to Europe for a little time. Our next land is the Canary Islands – four days sailing.

We have slightly more movement of the ship today. We are still enjoying a remarkably calm voyage.

Sunday at sea has been a quiet and restful day. We had a Protestant service today at 10.0am partly in English and partly in French. During the day I read Drummonds “Programme of Christianity” once again. We are not isolated here in the sea but are members still of a great society who serve by land and sea throughout the world.