19:33.84N 26:36.66W

Sunday 29th November 2008

Its 09:45 on Sunday morning, the sun is up and the temperature is rising, we had a late start this morning as it was Sunday, but life goes on. Breakfast was shallow fried Dorado washed down with chilled orange juice, the fish caught and filleted by Bob last night weighed in at just over four pounds.

I went to check on the systems this morning and found the batteries had discharged to 12 volts and there was not enough to start the generator even with all batteries on .It's a bit of a worry! I switched to engine starting and fired up the main engine to give a boost to the domestic pack and away she went so, now we are charging like mad with only the water maker and essential instruments on. We will have to re think our strategy of power management to conserve more using our LED lighting when possible. The Areogen wind generator is not producing any charge in these following winds.

We have had a good nights run with the average going up to 5-1 knts, since noon yesterday we have run 116 n.m.which could mean a twenty four hour run of 130 n.m. an improvement, if not quite as good as our first day out

For those with a nautical bent, and there are still a few around, we are now below latitude 20 degrees and I hope we are established in the equatorial trade winds .Through  the night we have been travelling at 5.5 to 6.0 knts  on a course of 260 degrees magnetic just south of west. It is interesting that the magnetic variation in these latitudes is enormous, ranging from 13 degrees west at our present location , rising to more than 18 degrees west below 10 degrees latitude, decreasing annually by 8 degrees east. Here ended the first lesson, well it is Sunday!

The crew are busy cleaning the heads (toilets) and galley (Kitchen) it is important to keep everything clean with five people living in such a confined space.

I asked for a volunteer at breakfast to bake a fresh loaf of bread and James offered, he has read the instructions an asked, where is the mixer? He has just spent the last ten minutes needing it by hand! Fresh bread in time for lunch.

We have just about run out of fresh vegetables now but we still have some bananas, limes ,lemons and apples .Last night we celebrated our first week at sea with a dinner of beef ribs in a red wine sauce with the last of the fresh courgettes and carrots and baked potato wedges. Washed down with a bottle of Spanish wine. The dessert saw the last of the Bramley apple pie and custard.

Some are finding it hard to sleep when off watch, the noise level on the boat is high, with rigging banging and things in lockers rolling around, for some the constant rolling motion of the boat going down wind is soporific for others it is an annoyance, leaving them in constant need of sleep.

Well I have a SSB schedule to make soon so will vacate the computer to let others have a few words.

Best wishes and love to all Paul.