105 km to South African Waters

105 km to South African Waters, and Challenger is looking like she is ready for a very well deserved rest.

Lagrangian Flow Map using Copernicus Forecast Data from Antonio Ramos

The reported currents are 19 cm/sec to South West, but the glider is flying South East – our East-North East waypoint is still having a significant influence, even when the direction is corrected from the magnetic to true north rotation.

Recently the power consumption has skyrocketed to 3.25 AH/day compared to 2.1-2.2 AH/day during majority of the mission. At this rate, the power consumed over the course of a day is worth 1.5 days from early in the mission.

This we believe is largely due to the pump slipping and having to repump throughout the flight rather than moving to one position per dive or climb. Lately segment oddities are up to 30 per segment as the pump has been all over the place having to pump multiple times on climbs through the water column.

Steering holding steady at 15 degrees rms. Constant offset of +5 degrees with Fin offset partially compensating at roughly -7 degrees.

Comms back to good after a small bad patch.

The waypoint for now seems to be doing well keeping us on a path with Eastward Progress. Below is a current map comprised of the average output from the Five Forecasts we have been taking into account for piloting.

5 Forecast Average Output

oscar – head east, not too much south, perhaps a tad north, if we take turn too tight we could go west or if we come in hot into the eddy we we might not get back out.

copernicus – head E, shows route to the south isn’t too great as the eddy we’re trying is moving west quickly. also too much north could put is in an unfavorable eddy to the north