of about 6 or 8 miles. We approached the reef off southeast island 
end csmewlthin about one half mile of it before turning west. The 
captain advised me that he was not even able to safely anchor the 
ship in this weather let alone permit us to try to go ashore. Ab 
the weather gave no indication of improving this date, it was 
agreed to steam slowly by as close as we could, to try to get 
a look at some of the islands and then go on to midway for provisions 
rather than try to steam around in the area in hipes thet the weather 
would improve. The ships steam slowly up the southern of the reef 
starting just east of southeast and the project leader and one or 
two party members were able to observe the islands from the fl 
bridge as we went by. The ship was pitching and rolling so much 
and the winds so strong thet Is wns quite difficult to tell much 
about the islands with our glass, ualy Albatross were seen in the 
air alone here plus one Masked Booby. I coxild only d tect Albatross 
on the islands and some islands appear to have only one or tv/ohundred 
but condition for observation war# so poor that this mu3t be consider- 
* ** ' ‘'* '' '* ' ■ * • 
ed at best as a very inaccurate impression. Southeast island 
had waves breaking over the reef and against its southern shores 
and appeared to be completely enveloped in a cloud of salt spray. 
Only one break appeared in the reef, this was the one which McFarlene 
had noted from the sir end the one that we have seen a photos of. 
It is the is furthered from southeast island. I was able to 
* i 
observe only 5 of the supposedly s4ek islands alone the south side 
of the reef and one just a small patch of sand showing above the 
waves end one of the two at the exteme westerly corner of the atoll 
* 
appeared to be without vegetation. There were waves breaking against 
40 
