19:16.0N 21:31.0W

At 2230 26/11/10

Friday 25th November 2010

We have managed to sail SW for the last couple of days but the winds are still very light and variable and not as they should be.  The wind is forecast to stay fair to the south for another day after which they die completely and we will probably have a couple of days of motoring.  We only have enough diesel to motor for about 5 days so we need to use it sparingly in case we need it later.

Yesterday there were quite a few boats in sight and on VHF but today we have seen no one and heard very little chatter on VHF.  We are still debating our course and may compromise and go through the middle of the Cape Verde Islands.  Further north the winds have been strong W-NW and reports from our fellow Bowman say they had a rough ride with two reefs in the main, not what we came for so we think we have made the right choice to head south.  Here the seas are relatively calm and it is getting quite hot.

We sorted through the vegetables today and discovered the courgettes in the stacker crates had gone completely mouldy whereas those in the net were fine.  Conversely the tomatoes in the net are going off a bit but those in the crate are fine.  We still have plenty of onions, potatoes, avocados, oranges, apples, butternut squash and cabbage so are safe from scurvy for a while.  We have all managed to have a shower and the tanks are still full thanks to the water maker so we’re not roughing it too much yet.

Alan baked bread but there is still no fish, although Toby assures us there were traces of blood on the lure so there must have been a bite!