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Date: 28 Nov 2007 18:11:00
Title: 28 Nov - Day 12 Position at 16.00 hrs 21:34.3N 035:50.8W
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Day 12 Distance to Antigua  1493  nm (nautical miles).

Distance covered since yesterday at 16.00 - 164 nm.

Are we nearly there Mum?  No, but we are nearly halfway.  Blimey, makes you realise how big this ocean is.  Day after day of water as far as the eye can see in every direction.  We saw a ship yesterday and it came within a couple of miles of us. Heard it first on the AIS which started bleeping. It took a few moments to work out what it was. It's been silent for 5 days so it was a bit of a surprise.

I'm not sure if I should continue ranting about 'fridges today - perhaps enough to say that I did all the necessary research (or rather my brother did, because he's been cruising since Nelson was a lad) and we decided on a sea water cooled Waeco unit with a large enough cold plate to keep the food in the cold box nicely chilled and be able to keep beer and Rosado at the temperature where the bottle has a nice frosty look to it.  Has it performed to that standard?  Sometimes, occasionally, when it feels like it, if there's an R in the month etc etc.  Along the way, I have become a bit of an expert on refrigeration and thought I finally had it sussed in Calero when I fitted a new electrical control unit which Waeco Espana sent me in the nick of time before we departed. Cold beers across the Atlantic - wicked!  Guess what I'll be having today - yup, you guessed it - warm beer. Frigging frigerifico has decided it's on a go slow and going slower every day.  I put an electronic thermometer in the cool box in Calero thinking to myself, "I'll be watching you - so behave".  It all started about Saturday when I noticed the temperature creeping up from its beer chillingly 10 degrees (that's at the top of the fridge where the thermometer is. The beer and the cold air is down at the bottom at about 5 deg). By Sunday, we had the thermostat on full and the cold plate was still only cold, whereas your finger should stick to it when it's really performing.  Eye, eye, I thought, trouble ahead. Might have to turn round and head back to Spain if this gets any worse (we're not half way remember?)

We did find that we could keep it freezing if we ran the generator (did I mention power generation yesterday?). Don't worry, we've got days more to go yet. By Monday'ish things were looking pretty grim folks.  Thermo was up to 15 deg and even running the genny wasn't cutting the mustard.  Compressor was running ok.  Water pump was running ok.  Lots of voltage (14v when the genny's running).  So, could need re-gassing or the thermostat might be on the blink.  If it's gas, we're buggered 'cos that's an engireer job.  I'll try bypassing the thermostat in a minute but first, I'd better drink the rest of the beer before it gets too warm.

I'll keep you posted on this one folks.

Today is warm and sunny, the back garden is still very lumpy and trying to sneek up behind us.  Seawater temperature has gone up to 26.6 deg. In Lanzarote it was about 21.5 deg. We are halfway there so by my reckoning, the water temperature in Antigua should be about 31 deg. (does it work like that?). If so, I'll be able to try out my new flippers (sorry I must remember they are called fins acording to Sam who is a qualified rescue diver and therefore knows about these things. (They were always flippers when I was a kid.) 

Dolphins have disappeared - must be all that talk about flippers and fins. No whales, in fact the only wildlife we've seen for the last few days is white horses and the odd seagull.  Oh, I forgot to mention flying fish but they have now become as common as sparrows in our back garden.

Thanks to everyone who has sent us emails and sat phone messages.  They are much appreciated in this lonely wasteland.  Our pal Patrick (Yacht Foxglove) has emailed us to say if any of you want to see what it looks like out the back window in movie version, go to Utube and seach on Foxglove Atlantic.  He put a movie clip up there from their crossing last December. I hope that gives you a better feel feel for it. Thanks Patrick for telling us that your flying over to Grenada in the Carib and will look out for us from 40,000 feet. Fat chance. Did you know you can fly to the Caribbean for about 400 quid and it only takes a few hours - are we mad???

I think we'll be eating the sausages tonight.  The clingfilm has risen like a fresh loaf. Actually, I'd better not mention rising bread because Sam's effort today looks more like something out of tombstone city. Ah well, worse things happen at sea!!! (My granny always used to say - hope she was wrong!)

Well, I'd best go and check for chafe. (Don't ask).

Toodle loo me 'arties

Phil drinks all the beer

"I don't mind if it's warm Skip"





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