Back in the water!

[MarkShot]

I have dreams of finding a convoy off of Brazil and hitting it day after day across the Atlantic.

But that will present a predicament, since orders say I should report it. First, I risk HF detection if I do. Second, I could be ordered to trail and report while Oncle Karl vectors other boats in to attack. Again increased risk and less chance for personal glory.

What would you do? Report in or put an entry the log that wireless was damaged during severe rolling in a tropical storm?

BTW, we did have some excitement on picket. A 4 engine bomber was spotted running in at 8,000M out of the clouds. We headed North. I ordered a crash dive. Knowing how clear these waters are, I waited until we passed through 30M before ordering full left rudder to 270 true. We ran at flank for 10 minutes and another 4 hours at 2kts before surfacing. Bombs were dropped, but nowhere close to our track.

[MarkShot]

The rest of the day is free!!!  It's back to the coast of Brazil to hunt.

[Oche]

We still have eels and diesel to make this a heroic cruise.

Holy torpedoes batman!, you must be the No. 1 most wanted man in the Atlantic and No. 2 after the Fuhrer. Did you start with a type VII or went right to the type IXs?, and have you had any other close calls in your campaigns with destroyers or aircraft?

[MarkShot]

No.  I did not start my career at the beginning of the war.  Too easy.  I started in the middle.

Those sinkings are historical; that's not me.

We've had no contacts off the coast of Brazil.  Down to 60% fuel.  Now, traversing the Atlantic Air Gap.  I will revise the patrol plans as we get closer to Europe.

[MarkShot]

08/28/42 06:08 - Failed to sink a fast moving troop ship from PD at 3,500M with a spread 3 T3 eels.

09/01/42 Attempted to intercept a convoy coming up the African Coast after a BdU report.

It's been a dull patrol so far, but we continue on with fuel and torpedoes.  The crew is demoralized; we really need something juicy.

[MarkShot]

09/01/42 23:07 - We'll try the mid-Atlantic routes off of Spain.  We're not broadcasting, since I suspect that the British may have spies or cracked our code.

[MarkShot]

09/03/42 04:35 Maybe we were too quick to leave the Antilles.  There have been quite a few contact reports.

[MarkShot]

09/06/42 01:16 Report of convoy outbound from Gibraltar.  Ahead full to intercept.

[MarkShot]

09/08/42   11:00 No convoy encounter.  Zig-zaging up the Spanish coast.

Fuel 45%.  I am scared to get back to port ... I might be relieved.

[MarkShot]

09/12/42 - This has to be one of the worst patrols I have ever had.  Nothing but AC crash dives and lone merchants of 4,000-7,000 tons.  Soon fuel will be an issue and we'll have to head back to port.

Maybe this explains why SHCE flooded the Pacific with Japanese shipping.  It was almost impossible not to have targets.

Oh, well ...

[MarkShot]

It's at times like this that you start playing stupid. Like you see a convoy with 6 destroyer escorts and one escort carrier and still decide to push the attack.

All I need is one stinking convoy ... Just 3 or 4 10,000 ton tankers and I can turn this patrol around. It must be out there somewhere!

When I was studying market technicals and fundamentals 10 hours/day and trading 6, I dreamed of being back out on patrol. The peace and autonomy of the hunt. No watching the futures before open and trying to measure how Europe would affect my buy limit orders for new positions. Now, I am once again back at the helm ... And it is dissappointing ... Maybe it's time reactivate my TDAmeritrade account. Maybe the nostalgia of the Battle of the Atlantic wasn't as I remember it.

[MarkShot]

It's 12:30AM ... cannot sleep have to be up at 6am, but wife will let me go back on patrol.  A good skipper's wife is hard to find!

[MarkShot]

The only short coming is that I am not using my lit G15 keyboard and the keys are somewhat hard to see.  Perhaps, when we settle into our hotel in Taiwan, I'll need to get some form of night light for my keyboard.

Okay, let's go find that convoy!  If I find a convoy, I could go to sleep well rested!

[panzerde]

I hope you have better luck convoy hunting tonight than I had driving tanks.  Good hunting, skipper.

[MarkShot]

09/20/42   RTB 5 ships sunk for 26 tons; green crew
10/21/42 11:45 Outbound in command of U-72 to grid CF58

Back out I go again, but first to get four hours sleep!