At Sea, North Atlantic
1909
Aug. 2 [August 2, 1909]
  Noon observation Lat 49.05 N.; Lon. 24.44 W.
  Sunny but with the sky veiled, much of the time,
with thin clouds. Sea, light steel gray with white-capped 
waves a yard or less in height. The wind fell to a gentle
summer breeze before sunset as it has done every day.
It rises again soon after dark. No trade wind could be
more regular. The direction has been steadily from South-west
ever since we started. At no time has the wind been 
more than a good full sail breeze or the sea too 
rough for the smallest boat. Were the conditions always
these one could cross the Atlantic in one of my
smallest sailing canoes with perfect safety. Actually
the ocean has not been as rough at any time since
I left Boston as was Lake Umbagog during most
of the time I was there last June.
  From 4 to 6.30 P.M. today the large, white-breasted
Petrels seen yesterday afternoon were almost constantly in
sight. It is odd that they should have appeared both
days at just these hours and no others, yet at stations
nearly or quite 400 miles apart. Today they were much
less numerous than yesterday and more scattered, no flocks
being noted and rarely more than one or two birds in sight
at once. Nearly all, too, were resting on the water & some
permitted the steamer to pass them within fifty yards without 
taking wing. When they rose ahead of us they invariably flew 
back past us on the lee side whereas yesterday they always
crossed our bow although the wind on both occasions was from
the same direction. I noted nothing new regarding either
their color or markings or their general habits although I
saw several of them to better advantage today than