Log book: May 22nd.

Published on May 23 2009 by Patricia Lamy pour Bernard Decré

Saint Pierre, May 22nd 2009

The orthodromic route followed by modern aeroplanes is exactly the one followed by the Oiseau Blanc, with a South-East heading in the end to avoid the low pressure zone located North East of Terre Neuve, during the night of May 8th-9th 1927. According to our calculations, this change of route has cost them 6 to 7 additional flight hours before reaching Saint Pierre.

We are looking for new clues and encounters. Everyday, there are new interesting pieces of information, which we can't reveal at the moment, having no proof.
The weather is great, with cool water: 3°C... And strong wind, which can be a problem for dragging the sonars.
Pierre Le Normand, Chief of logistics, also called "Petit Chou", is already setting the submarine camera and communication means (VHF radio, etc.)

Our programme as of today: arrival of the divers team on the 25th, briefing & presentation to the City Hall on the 26th at noon, technical briefing at 6pm. Departure for Terre Neuve to look for the search of the French fishing boat Ravenel , disappeared in 1962, which is also part of our mission.

To be realistic: we have 50% chances to find the Ravenel, 20% for l'Oiseau Blanc, as we are going to find plenty of echoes, considering the number of wreckages in this zone. Once again, we are convinced they have ditched when getting into the fog around the island.
A meeting with Air Saint Pierre pilots will also help us to understand better the weather conditions and see if our beliefs are realistic.