Wednesday, July 7, 1915

After I turned in last night I knew nothing until I was turned out this morning - and it was 6:30 not 3:30! Something felt different - I looked out of the port and saw the water moving faster than the tide usually had run. I looked further, and saw new land beside us - we were underway and I hadn't heard a thing. I found out the starboard watch had turned out - I'm in the port watch. The Ohio is steaming after us, 400 yards away. Was in the chains from 1 till 2:30. With a 2 fathom swing I could get a sounding every time, but it took some time until I could get a good one with a 16 foot line. We were supposed to scrub hammocks at 3, but I put my new one in my locker and went below. I was there until 5:15, firing and passing coal. we pulled fires and cleaned ash pans. When I came up we had just passed beyond Cape Henry. We had a head wind all the way down the bay, they trip down taking 13 hours - last year it took us less than 12. We spent an hour on the dog house in the evening and turned in early.