Journal Entry  -  September 20, 1999  -  Day 9

Monday Evening Position Report
8:00 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time
Latitude:

33 Degrees, 54 Minutes North

Longitude:

119 Degrees, 2 Minutes West

Days Run:

52.4 Nautical Miles

Speed:

4.37 Knots (Average) in advanced preparation for entry into Long Beach

Total Run:  1,134.5 Nautical Miles
Total Average Speed:  5.62 Knots
Hours From Departure:  202 Hours or 8.42 Days
Distance To Go This Leg:  47.9 Nautical Miles
Estimated Time Of Arrival:  8:00 a.m., tomorrow, Tuesday, September 21, Long Beach Anchorage for re-fueling
Present Course:  119 Degrees
Winds:  West-Northwest at 20 Knots, Brisk
Seas:  3 Feet
Swells:  Slight
Barometric Pressure:  1015 Millibars
Air Temperature:  61 Degrees
Visibility:  10 Miles +
Skies:  Clear
Sea Floor:  The Channel depth at this point averages about 450 Fathoms or 2,700 Feet

Position:  USS New Jersey is now due West of Santa Monica Bay, and 30 Nautical Miles from the Santa Monica.  She remains in the Southbound Coastline Traffic Lane, and numerous large container vessels have passed her northbound, as well as overtaking her southbound, throughout this afternoon and evening.

At approximately 11:00 p.m. tonight, when the Sea Victory and the battleship reach the 25-mile perimeter for the Long Beach entrance, the Captain will contact the Los Angeles / Long Beach Vessel Traffic Information Service to report his presence in the vicinity.

Tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m., Captain Ogaard is scheduled to arrive
at the Long Beach Sea Buoy, the assembly point for entrance into the gateway of San Pedro Bay through a breakwater and toward her anchorage designation of "Charlie-15," a open-water point inside the Bay.  New Jersey will be assisted to her anchorage by two Crowley Marine Services' tractor tugs based here.

Quote Of The Day...

At 3:45 p.m. this afternoon, Sea Victory's radio silence was broken by the skipper of a small recreational vessel called Crystal Sea, heading directly into Sea Victory's path.

"Sea Victory ... Sea Victory, this is Crystal Sea, over."

Chief Mate Terry Jacobsen, on the noon to 4:00 p.m. watch, answered. He had been watching the small craft about a mile off the tug's starboard bow, and acknowledged the vessel's call. "Sea Victory ..."

"Sea Victory ... Crystal Sea ... thanks, Captain ... would it be okay to cross your bow?  "Jacobsen said yes, it would be okay, no problem, just keep heading the way you are and you'll clear our path fine.

"Thanks, Captain ... by the way ... where are you towing that magnificent vessel behind you?"

The Chief Mate explained the USS New Jersey was being taken to Long Beach, then through Panama to Philadelphia, after which she would become a museum in the state of New Jersey.

"Okay, Captain, thanks," Crystal Sea's skipper said. "Well, I want to tell you, she's a beautiful sight, and really an awesome piece of engineering and history, "he said with pronounced inflection.  "We've shared her for many years over here, about 15 years ago, and we wish you a safe journey back to Philadelphia, Captain."

"Thank you, Captain," Jacobsen said. "Crystal Sea, thank you, Captain, good luck to you."

Notes On Mail Delivery

For those interested in the telecommunications part of these reports, let it be known that the systems so far are flawless, and the postman believes it will continue that way.

LandSea Systems, Inc. of Virginia Beach, Virginia has provided us a state-of-the-art satellite telephone which has performed with consistent reliability for the entire trip.  This unit is the essence of our ability to reach the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs internet website.

Comsat Corporation of Bethesda, Maryland, has provided us satellite air time with which to send the email messages and digital photos that have accompanied the reports.  Until we reached northern California, we were using Inmarsat's Atlantic Ocean Region West satellite, but switched to its Pacific Ocean Region satellite at that point, with a superb, constant signal.

Our continued thanks to these organizations for their support, allowing us to communicate to the many who are following USS New Jersey's homecoming.

Submitted by Bob Wernet onboard the Sea Victory.

 

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