“I now carefully rise to the periscope depth and proceed for a time
in this position and am looking around. Nothing can be seen except a
stormy army of white wave-crests. This weather suits me exactly, as we
need not be on our guard so very closely.
“I decided therefore to rise to the surface. But before this is done
the boat must be placed across the wind, as the long heavy hull would
not otherwise be able to climb out of the water.
“At slow speed, we place the _Deutschland_ right across the seas. The
boat rolls fearfully. It feels just as if the soul would shake out of
its body, and now it obeys the deep rudder and its nose rises slowly
out of the water.
“When we are completely out of the water the ship makes the alarming
motions of a pendulum all around the compass. Then comes the unpleasant
moment when we have to turn the ship slowly into its course.
“Protected by the thick conning tower windows, which the heavy seas are
continually washing over and streaming down, with arms and legs ready
to withstand the sharp twistings of our craft, I keep watch on all
sides.”
They were getting out of the North Sea into the Atlantic currents, in
an increasing storm. The boat plunged and tossed sickeningly and the
navigation was hard work. Finally they were free of the turbulent sea
and rode into the ocean proper and its less angry motion.