 Accompanied by Major Henry Blanchard Hersey of the United States Weather Bureau, who had studied the storm tracks and prevailing winds, Lahm started 12th in a field of 16 late in the afternoon of September 30.Under a full moon they reached the Channel before midnight and a lightship off the coast of England three hours later, where fog obscured the surface.The morning sun slowly burned off the fog and caused the balloon to ascend to 3,000 meters altitude.