We haven’t motored since yesterday morning and are now romping along at 5.7kts in about 17kts wind. This is more wind than forecast and from the ENE. Still not the NE trade winds we have been forecast for the last couple of days. However there is much more cloud now but not threatening and light rain seems to what we will get from time to time. This is as forecast so, combined with the steadiness of the wind, we will take as a sign we may be clear of the ITCZ at last!

Two pieces of gear failure to report. The blower ventilation fan in the engine compartment has stopped working. Dan the Malo agent says not to panic, it was only later models of our boat that were fitted with one (although presumably for a reason) and it can wait until Antigua to repair or replace. Nevertheless we have opened the rear engine compartment lid in the rear cabin and left it ajar for air to circulate.

We have a dyneema topping lift (line) from the top of the mast attached to the end of the boom. As we have a solid vang with internal gas strut to support the boom we don’t actually need a topping lift but we retain it to double up as a halyard or even backstay if ever needed. It can be a bit of a pain because if too tight the topping lift can prevent the vang from pulling down the boom when we need to flatten the mainsail. If too loose it flaps against the backstay with a repeated clang. It is adjusted from the mast and is not led back to the cockpit. Anyway this is now academic because the shackle holding the topping lift to the boom has come undone and the loose line is like a long thin penant flying from an old sailing ship top mast. At least it was, having now wrapped itself around the lazyjacks where it is not causing any harm. I cannot reach it from the deck and it is not firmly enough wrapped around the lazyjacks to be pulled down by them when lowered (I have tried). If it stays wrapped around the lazyjacks it can stay there. If it starts flapping around again I’ll shorten it and hope it doesn’t pull through the mast before Antigua.

So, everything on board is settling into a routine that hopefully will get us to Antigua by 23rd or thereabouts. I ate the last of Annies nut and seed bread loaf today and we still have enough banana bread for afternoon tea a few more times. Emily from EmilyLuna very kindly gave us a 3 in 1 magnetic chess, checkers and backgammon set as a parting gift and we plan to start up the backgammon today. I can beat Annie at this so things are looking up. Poor Emily needs a playing partner for board games as Keith doesn’t seem to be fulfilling this role. She was keen to play Bananagrams in Fernando but I find this a bit stressful on passage and was a tad relieved when she forgot to bring it ashore. She and Annie exchange book recommendations and I cannot believe how many novels they are getting through!