Thanks

Back to the creature comforts of home and the welcoming arms of my lovely Alison.
Thanks for all the lovely emails sent to me and comments that were posted to my blog . You may have gathered that I was not receiving either whilst I was at sea but since getting back online I have had a chance to read them all. It is comforting to know that I have friends and family that took an interest in my trip.
I shouldn't be surprised at how quickly one's mind and body returns back to life at home, since this is not the first long trip I have had the privilege of taking, but seeing the familiar, dealing with the post and bills and catching up on the personal news from Alison and my parents all pull you back into 'reality' much quicker than expected. SO now I can talk of the trip in hindsight as if it was a long time ago and so the memory chooses to forget the details of the 'bad' parts and focuses on the general.
The trip had it's problematic moments but they were really superficial in their nature. The boat was always solid and safe and so there was never any doubt of our safety but when the tiller comes off, the autopilot fails, having to hand steer for 48 hours, rudders misaligned and scrapping the hull, leaking joints and breaking lines makes for interesting stories. Most of the trip was a lovely routine of watching the sea, eating, and sleeping.
Though Jonathan's cautious, patient nature clashed with my spontaneous, impatient and impulsive character we got on really well and he was a marvel at coming up with solutions for the stream of little problems we had.
I am really very pleased that I did the trip. Before the trip I was not sure if at the end of it I would ever want to go on another yacht again but the trip has only highlighted how much I do want to do more long distance sailing. Trans Atlantic to the Caribbean and a bit of island hoping is definitely something I would like to do in the future. A nice heavy, long keeled, ocean cruiser with some of the comforts of home would be the boat of choice. Not sure how I am going to get Alison convinced since she was feeling queasy with the just the thought of bouncing over the waves. We'll see.
Thanks again for the comments and for reading.
Back home with Alsion.

Home and dry

Position: 32,44.49N , 16,42.76
WSpeed: 0 knots, Course: 0 deg.
UTC Time: 16. August 2006 11:04
log 5560.
Marina Quinto do Lorde, Madeira
Total distace travelled = 5560 miles
Direct Distance (via Cape Verde) = 4670 miles
Time on route = 40 days

All well and safe.

There by breakfast

Position: 32,5.12N , 16,57.20W
Speed: 3 knots, Course: 34 deg.
UTC Time: 14. August 2006 20:13

Motoring.It is surprising when you see the Atlantic Ocean as flat and calm as your local village pond but that is how it is right now. An oily, glassy, shiny, blanket of water. It's beautiful. Not a ripple or a wave. No wind at all. Which was fantastic when we saw a family of whales not to far away. They disappeared when we got close. Shame.This means that we are motoring and as it goes we are moving at a speed close to walking speed. We are not going faster since this would get us to port in the middle of the night. Not a sensible option. Going this slow also uses less fuel which is now down to the last 20 litres. Today we stopped the boat and went for a swim. Diving off a yacht in the middle of the ocean and swimming around is something I have thought about doing. It was as scary as I imagined. No sharks, no beasties. We had a look at the underside where clinging to the hull were lots of barnacles. How they managed to attach themselves to the hull whilst we were moving is a mystery. We tried to get them off but they are stuck on fast. Will need to get the boat out of the water and give it a good scrub.

We enjoyed our first hot shower since Cape Town courtesy of my solar shower. Basically a 20 litre plastic bag with a shower head attached to a tube. Fill it up, lay it in the sunshine with the black side up and a while later you can enjoy a hot shower. Fantastic. It is great to have the salt off the body. Then we spent the afternoon packing our belongings and getting ready for our landfall.

The log has not be reliable so I am not sure exactly how many miles we have traveled but I would say that it has been over 6,000 miles. 41 days since leaving Cape Town. Three months since I left London. As long as the engine holds up we will be there by breakfast.
Time for dinner.

There by breakfast

Position: 32,5.12N , 16,57.20W
Speed: 3 knots, Course: 34 deg.
UTC Time: 14. August 2006 20:13

Motoring.It is surprising when you see the Atlantic Ocean as flat and calm as your local village pond but that is how it is right now. An oily, glassy, shiny, blanket of water. It's beautiful. Not a ripple or a wave. No wind at all. Which was fantastic when we saw a family of whales not to far away. They disappeared when we got close. Shame.This means that we are motoring and as it goes we are moving at a speed close to walking speed. We are not going faster since this would get us to port in the middle of the night. Not a sensible option. Going this slow also uses less fuel which is now down to the last 20 litres. Today we stopped the boat and went for a swim. Diving off a yacht in the middle of the ocean and swimming around is something I have thought about doing. It was as scary as I imagined. No sharks, no beasties. We had a look at the underside where clinging to the hull were lots of barnacles. How they managed to attach themselves to the hull whilst we were moving is a mystery. We tried to get them off but they are stuck on fast. Will need to get the boat out of the water and give it a good scrub.

We enjoyed our first hot shower since Cape Town courtesy of my solar shower. Basically a 20 litre plastic bag with a shower head attached to a tube. Fill it up, lay it in the sunshine with the black side up and a while later you can enjoy a hot shower. Fantastic. It is great to have the salt off the body. Then we spent the afternoon packing our belongings and getting ready for our landfall.

The log has not be reliable so I am not sure exactly how many miles we have traveled but I would say that it has been over 6,000 miles. 41 days since leaving Cape Town. Three months since I left London. As long as the engine holds up we will be there by breakfast.
Time for dinner.

Touch and go

Position: 31,27.21N , 17,18.10W
Speed: 3 knots, Course: 16 deg.
UTC Time: 14. August 2006 09:08

Was I saying something along the lines that light air sailing can be rewarding well let me remind myself that it can also be really frustrating. Especially when you need to be somewhere and the back-up diesel is so low that it is doubtful whether we can make it to land under power. So we really need that wind and it just doesn't stay around for long if we are going to make the flights out of Madeira on Thursday. Sounds long enough to do 84 miles but it is touch and go at the moment. I am sure it will be OK in the end and whilst we have these light airs we can get good sleeps, tidy up a bit, watch the silky sea for signs of life and contemplate the journey past and the prospects at home. I am so very privileged.

Summertime and...

Position: 30,31.86N , 17,35.81W
Speed: 3 knots, Course: 24 deg.
UTC Time: 13. August 2006 16:22

After our scare with the rig being loose and the diesel running very low we have less to worry about now . We are 120 miles away from Madeira and even though the winds have dropped to very light airs there is still enough wind or a mixture of wind and engine to get us to Madeira. Therefore it has been a bit more relaxing. The sea is dead calm and the sky is cloudless which allows us the opportunity to be lazy and bathe in the warmth and relax. We are still doing our watch system but since the last couple of days have been so lovely we have both stayed awake for most of the day and chatted or read or just watched the sea and sailed the boat. Light air sailing can be very rewarding since the effort of patiently seeking the wind is instantly rewarded by huge increases in boat speed, albeit from 2 knots to 5 knots, not fast but a rush all the same. We have been lucky today with some pretty constant light wind that has kept us moving in the right direction. Makes for very docile sailing.

Since the sea is so calm I was expecting to see a whale or dolphin since but again unfortunately I have not seen any. Is it the wrong place at the wrong time, or are they just not around in numbers any more? Saw loads when sailing in Scotland. I have seen some alarmingly large bits of debris such as oil drums, floating high in the water, fishing buoys, coils of thick rope and large sections of foam.

Thanks for reading.
Brian

Not looking good for Maderia...for a few hours

Position: 29,14.50N , 18,39.43W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 316 deg.
UTC Time: 12 August 2006 13:11


Last night Jon noticed that the rig was loose, so we had to drop the sails in case the mast fell down. So we then turned on the engine to motor and the engine promptly starting emitting warning buzzing sounds so we had to switch her off. Nightmare. No sails, no engine. Bobbing around the ocean 20 miles of the coast of Las Palmas frantically looking in the books to see which port we could call into. This was at midnight. It was not looking good. After weighing up the pros and cons we decided it was best not to go to the Canaries. We decided instead to motor very slowly forward till morning, when Jon could go up the mast and tighten the rods, and hope that the engine was going to work. We puttered at two knots for 6 hours, using as little of our fuel as we needed and without the engine making any more noises. After Jon had had a decent sleep, he was hoisted up the rig to tighten the bits and bobs. Thankfully this all worked, the wind didn't go away, and we are now sailing again at a respectible eight knots. It is looking like we will still be able to get to Madeira but for a moment last night it was touch and go.

This all happened early this morning. Since then the sun has been shinning and Jon and I have sat out on deck having a chat about solar cars, the media, the news that we don't want to hear. We don't normally do that since when one is on watch the other is usally down below sleeping or doing emails.

Hope you all had a good weekend.

Phwoar!

Alison's been asking for a photo of me on the boat Mediterranean- style. So here it is. A bit posey I know, and this not a true reflection of how I spend my days; basking in the sunshine without a care in the world...honest

Food getting low

Position: 28,19.23N , 18,35.73W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 59 deg.
UTC Time: 11. August 2006 23:30

Las Palmas, Canaries is off to my right now. The lights of the towns are glowing away. I can practically hear the music. Pleasant sailing the past couple of days with warm weather and calm seas. Motoring now though since we have a slight problem with the mast tension. Just another thing to add to the list. Looks like we will be in Madeira for Tuesday morning, if all goes to plan. Not that I would put a lot of money on it though. Other stuff can still go wrong. Will believe it when I get my feet onto the pontoon.

The estimated time for the sail from Cape Town to the Azores was 35 days so I victualised the boat for that amount of time plus a bit extra. It has now been 36 days so the food, though not running out, is getting low and we are now straying from our five meal plan and being a bit more creative with the left overs. I still think there is even some chocolate left somewhere which keeps Jon happy.

I realise that we have been sheltered from the real world and from what I gather there is more conflict and tension going on. Hope it is not effecting you too much and everyone is safe and well.

BFN.

Back by the 19th

Position: 25,21.41N , 22,53.17W
Speed: 6 knots, Course: 52 deg.
UTC Time: 09. August 2006 09:04

What a lovely night as it goes. The moon is full and this environment highlights how lovely it is. I was on the sunrise watch which is the best of the night watches but this morning I had the bonus of having the most glorious orange moonset just moments before the sunrise in the opposite side of the ocean. It was special. (You might have to have been there).

SInce the winds are a bit light and Jon is now feeling the urge to get back home the engine is coming on frequently now. We filled the tank with 40 litres from the 2 containers we had strapped on to the back of the boat which gives us loads of fuel to get us to where we want to go.

On the basis of sailing when there's wind and motor when there is not then we should be in Madeira on Monday/Tuesday.

I have just heard the good news from Alison that she has booked me on a flight direct to London. Well done, Alison. What a fab girlfriend. Can't wait to see her. (btw she does edit my blog every day).

So as long as the engine doesn't konk out I'll be back in London for the weekend of the 19th. Just in time to go to France for Al's wedding. What a life.

Looking forward to a shower and shave.

Where did I put the mints?

Position: 24,41.99N , 24,20.76W
Speed: 6 knots, Course: 33 deg.
UTC Time: 08. August 2006 17:30
log 4952 since CT.

Beating into the wind still. Expected shift to northerlies did not happen. Sailing was frustrating so we have decided to motor for a while. Get a few miles in a straight line under our belts. The destination is looming but it is taking an age to get there. Today the sun has come out to warm us up a bit. A welcome change to the cloudy days we have been having. Food is becoming bland now. The same food every 5 days for the past month is getting to us now. We really could do with a change but we have run out of goodies. I think there may be a pack of mints somewhere. It was rice crackers and marmite this morning just to have something different. Clothes, sleeping bag, ropes, deck and bodies are now so salty they are all clammy to touch. Makes it all quite uncomfortable. Especially at 2am and you want to get a decent kip. One thing to note is how the body has adapted to the pattern of sleep. It is amazing how quickly you get to sleep and how quickly you're back in action when you're back on watch. I can't think of other professions or situations where people are doing this 3 hour on 3 hour off stuff. Maybe military. But it is quite amazing how awake one is when you are on watch and how quickly you are asleep off watch.
So nearly 5000 nautical miles of sailing and only two whales.

Losing the romance

Position: 22,31.12N , 24,19.45W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 352 deg.
UTC Time: 07. August 2006 15:05

Steady north easterly wind coming off the Azores high. Means we are heading 350 degrees making 7 knots. Tack over sometime tonight and if the winds are constant that will take us into the Canaries then we can tack again to Madeira. Moderate sea, sunny intervals.

It's losing the romance.

Just saved another flying fish intent on hitching a ride to its death.

Weightless

Position: 19,36.65N , 23,14.88W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 318 deg.
UTC Time: 06. August 2006 12:16

On route for Madeira. Wind up to 25 knots today. Swells of 3 metres. Rough sea. Pointing so very wet boat outside. Sunny though. Good fun on deck with the warmth of the sun and the waves crashing over the bow. Down below is not quite so nice. Each time the bow slams into a wave you can feel yourself leaving the floor and becoming weightless for an instance. Annoying when you are trying to sleep or type... And noisy too.

Hope you guys enjoyed the Big Chill.

Nine days to go

Position: 16,41.0N , 23,19.93W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 301 deg.
UTC Time: 04. August 2006 12:47

It was a long time coming but we are now nearly through the Cape Verde Islands. We left Boavista and Sal to stbd and the rest to port. Shame we did not have the time to stop in. I am sure they would have been interesting places to hang out in for a while. Did not get to see much of them at all. Boavista seemed to have a high peak but it was night so we did not see anything of the island. Have seen some dolphins though and a couple of large whales. Still lots of flying fish and since we were near the islands more birds.

Now we are heading north, north west, towards Madeira. The sun has come out, it's warm, the nights are pleasant, the moon is out again and the stars have appeared now that the blanket cloud cover has left us. We are still pointing into the wind though which is a pity. It would be lovely to come home on a run but alas can't ask for everything. I am now getting to the stage where I need a break. Been a long time on board now. Left Cape Town on July 6. I may suggest that we take a break tomorrow around lunch, heave to and we can jump into the ocean and have a swim. The water is very warm. That would be a good thing to do.

Here's hoping the winds stay strong for this last stretch of around 9 days or so. (eta in Madeira is August 14)

Heading for Madeira

Position: 14,18.1N , 21,4.41W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 310 deg.
UTC Time: 03. August 2006 08:47

Pointing high towards the Canaries just east of the Cape Verde Islands heading for Madeira. Still not north of them yet. Sea rough, cloudy, rain and wet. 2 reefs in Main and Genoa. Once past Cape Verdes may bare away to make easier sailing and tack back over later on a reach. Makes it longer but easier on us and the boat.

Wet again

Position: 12,42.4N , 19,17.35W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 27 deg.
UTC Time: 02. August 2006 08:53
log 4012

For the past 48 hours we have been getting unforcasted 20-25 knot westerlies accompanied by rain and more rain. This has meant that we are getting to our mark just east of the Cape Verde Islands in good time even though it seems like it has been ages. We are on a close reach so the yacht is leaning over (too much) and waves crash over the bow, down the side, drenching us in loads of warm Atlantic water. This means we have not been dry for a couple of days and down below is getting very musty and quite frankly nausious. Oh for some blue sky and warm sun again. It's all good extreme sport.

Ticking along

Position: 4,59.8N , 16,43.83W
Speed: 5 knots, Course: 309 deg.
UTC Time: 30. July 2006 13:49
3538 log from Cape Town.

We are getting into a busy shipping area of the Atlantic now. Four ships in the last 6 hours which is four more than we have seen since St Helena. Weather has stayed cloudy and we went through 5 hours of rain last night. It was warm so it was actually refreshing and a chance to get rid of the salt. Couple more little problems that are sent to try us. All fixable but just slows us down a bit. At the moment we are only going at 7 knots which means at this rate we will be close to Madeira by the 18th which is my deadline so I can get back to London in time for our flights to France for Al's wedding. Otherwise all ticks along as usual. Daily routine of watches, lunch at noon, dinner at 20:00, breakfast at 08:00. We are both getting to the stage where we would love some variety in the diet. We still have some fresh oranges and apples though they are on there last legs. This stage of the trip is psychologically hard since we can see the destination approaching but there is still a couple of weeks to go and we can't get the boat to go faster. ho hum. Would be lovely to have all the time in the world and stop off in all the places that are just over there to our right.

Hello sailor!

This photo was taken shortly after leaving Cape Town. Alison wants to know why I look more like a fireman than a sailor! She thinks I should be wearing a white uniform, or at the very least a blue and white outfit.

No up-to-date photos yet of us in warmer climes.

Watch this space...

Hot stuff

Position: 2,9.26N , 15,3.54W
Speed: 9 knots, Course: 19 deg.
UTC Time: 29. July 2006 12:52
3362 log

Well the corner has turned, so to speak, we are now nearing land again. Africa approaches on our right hand side. Even though there is still a bit of a slog to get through what with doldrums and 14 days of heat. Day times are increasingly hotter and the sun is strong. Must admit I got a bit red in the skin since I have never been quick to apply the old lotion. Strangely we have only had one day with no clouds. Today is a typical day with fluffy clouds over there and rather more menacing larger dark ones over here. At least we are still getting some wind. Quite a decent bit of it actually. The fear is we hit the doldrums and are bobbing around without wind for days on end. It is inevitable. Last night was the strangest yet. We had complete cloud cover so no stars hence no light and a calm, calm sea. It was so dark and eerie. Usually there is quite a lot of light around either from the whites of the waves reflecting the moon, the stars but last night was just void of any light at all. Actually there was one source of light from the wake of the boat. It looked like someone had forgot to turn off a light under the water just at the back of the boat. This was due to the phosphoresence. Lovely to see. Nature is fab.
Jon has just cooked lunch. We were laughing since it is sweltering out her and we are having a spicy hot barley/couscous/soup mix type broth. Good for cold Scottish winters night. Still it is very tasty.

Crossing the equator

Position: 0,0.44N , 15,22.33W
Speed: 8 knots, Course: 1 deg.
UTC Time: 28. July 2006 17:33

Just crossed the line (the equator). You know how much I like that sort of thing. I am supposed to now do a manner of horrible things to Jon since he has never crossed the line and Neptune is entrusting me to carry out the ceremony infront of all bears, shellbacks, mermaids and mariners to admit the new mariner into his realm. But alas I don't think I am going to be so nasty but I will present him with a certificate I made earlier before leaving the UK.
So back in the northern hemisphere - you don't know how lucky you are, boy....

Wind in the spinaker

Position: 1,9.64S , 14,43.51W
Speed: 8 knots, Course: 329 deg.
UTC Time: 28. July 2006 07:59
log 3152

I think Merf's instructions must have paid off since Jon decided that we could put the aysemetric spinaker up. This has increased our boat speed by about 30% so I am a happy bunny. I was getting very bored of the slow pace. It does help that the swell is few and far between and the wave heights are running about 1 metre. Perfect conditions. So now we have a boat that is running to normal again leaving me free to read a little more of my book, think about the forthcoming project in Bournemouth, watch for shooting stars (loads), dolphins (rare), flying fish (every minute) and appreciate how lucky I am to get to do stuff like this.

It was about 32 years ago I crossed the equator at about this spot while on one of the exotic summer holidays my family had the oportunity to take when my dad was at sea. The vessel I was on then was a rather large super tanker powered by 250,000hp engines. Now I am crossing the same equator using the power of the wind. Hey ho.

Looks like we may make a change and head up to the Canaries instead of the Azores. Not too sure yet just an idea that came up in conversation last night. It will be a lot quicker to go to the Canaries. Stopping at the Cape Verdes will only happen on a needs must basis.
Nearly August!

No need to panic

Position: 3,47.13S , 12,48.4W
Speed: 6 knots, Course: 296 deg.
UTC Time: 27. July 2006 10:11
log reads 2979 from Cape Town.

Hi all, seems as if I may have caused a bit of concern due to the content of my blog entry (One of the reasons I did not want to have any communication at all on this trip since it can lead to confusion and unneeded worry). Have no fear we are all, boat included, doing fine. Sort of. Look there are always going to be teething proplems with new things and there are just a few teething problems with this one. Jon has done a great job in fixing the auto pilot mounting by cutting a 4 inch square piece from the anchor and attached it to the mouting for the pilot. After 36 hourse of hand steering we turned it on and hour ago and it is working like a dream. Doesn't answer the question why did the auto pilot mount go in the first place but alas these thing can happen. Probably a mixture of stiff steering mechanisms and a weak mounting bracket. Sure that will get figured out later. The other little proplems are things that will get ironed out on route. Meanwhile we still have good food, great weather, wide open expanse of sea that is happily taking us along under 1 reef and a storm jib not very fast mind you but getting us in the right direction due to the superbly constant 18 knots of south easterly we have been having since we left St Helena 800 miles ago. Last night was glorious really.

I managed to get a full 3 hours sleep on my of watch so when I came on at 23:00 hrs I was awake to steer the boat and star watch for 3 hours and then again at 5am. The night sky is just fab. Sometimes I am a bit peeved that I reckognise so many constellations since there would be a certain joy to be had just seeing the stars as irregular dots in the sky but alas I don't see that. I see a map with distinct regions and places. Some pointing to others and some more obscure. At the moment Scorpio is near overhead at midnight and is pointing wonderfully to a bright Jupiter. We are sailing in such a direction that I can keep Jupiter just off the boom and I know that I am going in the right direction. Until it falls a bit, chased by Scorpio and Sagitarius. Capricorn is right behind them. I never knew how lovely it is actually. Beautiful big triangle. The southern cross is getting very low now and is lost below the horizon after about 3am. Alpha Centuri (the closest star), on e of the pointers, is still above the horizon, though.In the very wee hours on the other side of the boat, to our east, things really start getting interesting. Orion comes up and the more familiar shapes such as Taurus with Alderbarn and the Plaidies, Cassiopia, Procyon, Andromada (and the nearest galaxy M31), Capella in Auriga and just a hint of Pollux. It is a fantastic section of sky. It is for me. Figure if you have read this far then we must discuss the amazing LMC next time we meet. Anyway all is well. I think Jon is getting some helpfull hints from the boat designers - a sort of online learn to sail a formula 1 yacht course from afar. Well done Merv. (Why don't you fly out to Cape Verde and take her up to the Azores? And bring a Solent whilst you're at it (let's see what sort of hoo haa that coment causes)). Time to go.
#end

Few wee problems

Position: 8,17.13S , 10,24.69W
Speed: 3 knots, Course: 256 deg.
UTC Time: 25. July 2006 14:59
logged distance 2685 since CT

Not going very fast since we have come up with another proplem. The auto pilot mounts were working loose. Add that to the electrics smartbox which is not charging one set of batteries, the rip in the genoa, the lost Solent sail, the bob stay that has worked itself loose leaving the bow sprit bouncing up and down, two of the jammers that are not holding the ropes and it all adds up to a bit of a mess. Plus the fact that when the spinaker is up the pilot can't handle it when the boat comes down the face of a wave. So we have been sailing with a main and a storm jib! Either the boat is badly designed or something is not right here. Life is about solutions. Very hot though under the tropical sun. Surely I can get off now. Someone else want a shot?

Back at sea

Position: 12,36.7S , 7,54.84W
Speed: 8 knots, Course: 333 deg.
UTC Time: 23. July 2006 20:29

Left St Helena just over 24 hours ago, Saturday at 3pm. Since then we have lost a sail over board when it was washed out of its bag when we were hitby a rogue wave and high winds. It was one of our two upwind sails and theother has a rip in it. So we now need to repair the genoa so we have a sailthat can point us into the wind.I didn't mention that we lost the tiller 5 days before we got to St Helena. It sheared off its mounting because of bad workmanship at the supliers. We managed to get a new part made for it in St Helena so we thankfully now havea tiller again. Most of the time though the boat is sailing by the electronicauto pilot which has been working really well. We are heading for the Azores now which is going to be a long slog. 26ishdays if we make good speed and direction. We will be passing close to theCape Verde Islands so I wonder if at that time we may stop off there. Otherwise the flying fish are out in numbers now and I saw my first dolphins last night. Didn't actually see them since the nights are moonless hencevery dark but I did see the trail of phospheresonse(?) alongside the boat. It was glorious to watch. So it is back into the routine of 3 hour watches at night and 4 hours during the day.
#end

On dry land

I just checked my emails at the one and only Cable and Wireless internet bureau so a big thank you for all the messages from you. I am so surprised that anyone is reading this blog it was great to see the messages. I might put a bit more effort into the blog now I know your reading it.
One of the reasons I like sailing is to do with the fact that using just the wind and a bit of knowledge you can transport oneself across a vast ocean, something that mankind has been doing from year dot. Of course you are at the mercy of the wind and nature but that's the whole idea. And we did it. 2000 miles from Cape Town to St Helena in 12 days. Using just the wind. I think that's pretty cool. Only another 4500 to go!
We have been enjoying our little rest here on this remote island. Given us a chance to recharge the batteries, fix a few parts, buy more supplies and enjoy sitting on chairs, eating of off china plates and having showers. As well as having the opportunity to talk to other people.
It is difficult spending this much time (2 months now) with someone your not having sex with. So other people are a welcome aside.
Time to go and climb the Ladder. A gizillian steps up the side of a mountain that was built in times gone past to haul manure up from the port! It's something one must do when you visit this place. Honest.

Anchored by noon

----
Position: 16,57.1S , 4,25.43W
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 271 deg.
UTC Time: 17. July 2006 19:18

We have been getting some of the bigger sails out to play with which has been fun. The boats goes quicker and is better balanced. The thing is since they are bigger the more there is to go wrong if it were to go wrong. Fortunately everything is in our favour. The weather has become constant and hot. We are at the latitude of Angola now so it should be hot. We are in the tropics. Crossed Capricorn the other night.
Beginning to miss some foods. I would love a bag of cheese and onion crisps just now.
Looking forward to St Helena. Hopefully get anchored by noon. Then maybe we can get a shower and a pint. Don't quite know what to expect of this very remote place.

1 day to go

-----
Position: 16,43.70S , 3,21.58W
Speed: 8 knots, Course: 255 deg.
UTC Time: 17. July 2006 07:48

St Helene is 1 day away. It seems to be a long time coming. Should be in
the bay by 10am.

Not full steam ahead

----
Position: 25,6.97S , 2,21.73E
Speed: 11 knots, Course: 341 deg.
UTC Time: 13. July 2006 18:59

Look at that, 11 knots. Not exactly ground breaking but pretty OK for just now.

The wind for the past 24 hours has been a constant 20 knots (gusting
to 30 odd in squalls) from the south east. Perfect for us but
unfortunately the sea state was rough most of the time. This meant we
had to go slightly of course otherwise we were surfing down the face
of some big waves. Not recommended. But now we have near perfect weatherand sea state so we can get the gas on a bit more tomorrow. Jon has been cautious about putting up the big sails but I want to get a move on so I will be pushing for more speed now we are used to this ocean.

Otherwise after the last rough 24 hours we managed to clean up a bit and dry up a bit today. This has made us feel better as well as made it easier to move around our wee world. It wasn't very nice with the floors, clothes, sleeping bags all being wet. Bit better today.

Still have not seen any cetaceans. What's happened to them all?

St Helena is within sight, maybe 3 more days less if we can take the foot of the brake. (It's a bit like Jon has got this really fast sports car but doesn't like going round the corners too fast. He'll get there soon.)

I want a couch, have a curry, relax with Alison.

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Dank and rank

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Position: 26,45.22S , 5,29.84E
Speed: 10 knots, Course: 270 deg.
UTC Time: 12. July 2006 17:17

Sometimes it is too uncofortable to sit at table for any length of time.
It has been a bit like that for the past few hours. The sea is big and once
again the boat is being pushed and pulled and drenched in waves. It's fun
though. It has got a little warmer so last night's watch was lovely. Still
wrapped up in the oilies but the full moon was out and the boat was merrily
moving along in a straight line to St Helena.

The boat is beginning to get a very lived in feel down below. Clothing hanging
on the 2 rails that run the lenght of the cabin. The're to hang onto when
the boat is heeled but they are now the only place to hang clothes, gloves,
GPS, torches and what ever else we need to get of the floor. The floors are
now wet, due to the dripping clothes and the dripped water from the 50 5
litre water bottles. I know that I am smelling quite ripe and I have just
realised that I am getting a beard again. It hasn't begun to itch yet.
Meanwhile it is a lovely sight to see the wake of this yacht as it plows
through the sea. It makes up for the constant bashing about we are getting.

Got your message Claire.

Roller-coaster

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Position: 28,48.85S , 9,11.77E
Speed: 7 knots, Course: 1 deg.
UTC Time: 11. July 2006 10:29

I hardly know what day it is. I know that it is 2 days since Italy won the
world cup so it must be Tuesday. Days of the week doesn't have any relevance
out here on the ocean. It's just a question of are we sailing in the right
direction and getting closer to our destination. At the moment that destination
is the island of St Helena, 1100 miles north west of where we are now.
Typically there is a huge low somewhere in the southern Atlantic which means
since they are clockwise here we are getting winds of 20 knots from the north
west. Exactly where we want to get to. Since yachts can't sail directly into
the wind we have to tack our way towards St Helena. Well we have been for
the past 18 hours and will continue for another 5. This makes for uncomfortable
sailing. Heading into the wind makes the boat bounce up and down, side to
side and the bow crashes down after a wave passes underneath. Lots of smashing
and banging and water coming over the decks making us very wet when we sit
in the cockpit on look out for other ships.
There are some sailors who call this sailing the wrong way and after a while
I can understand why they say it. If the wind were behind us we would be
enjoying the sunshine, eating lunches on deck without having to brace ones
leg against something hard whilst sitting on the floor trying to keep the
food in the dog bowl we are using as crockery. It's not easy sleeping either.
It's like going over a hill when you're in the back seat of a car and you
loose your stomach, twice a minute all night. When your lying flat you get
to feel the wave lift the boat, pass underneath and leave the boat hanging
in mid air until the boat falls back down the hill with a crash. You practically
leave the bunk every couple of minutes. Not surprising we are a bit tired
too.
Anyway enough of all this..
Curt thanks for the message. Hi to all. When's Alabama 3 playing?
BFN.

end#

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What's that smell?

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Position: 29,53.68S , 11,25.49E
Speed: 4 knots, Course: 258 deg.

UTC Time: 10. July 2006 07:30

There's a lot of water out here.
Jon smells.
I don't.

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