We’ve got to point where we can head directly towards Fernando do Noronha – and that point where we anticipated some good sailing. Of course now the wind has died so the engine is still on. We did get a couple of hours of brisk sailing earlier when we managed 6.5 knots for a while but then we got to a line squall and everything changed. As we passed through it we had heavy rain on either side of us but very little falling directly on us. It was rather like passing beneath a massive bridge but with columns of torrential rain as the support columns. Once through the wind went round to the north so back on with the engine. Then it went to the east so back off with the engine then it died away completely so engine on once more.

 

I meant to mention that pineapples are the new improved cabbages as far as weapons of mass destruction are concerned. Our fruit and veg. hammock hangs in front of the barometer and every time I fill in the log I get batted by a large swinging pineapple. Altogether another level of pain from the old cabbage banging voyage down to Brazil. My head is badly scarred already! No I don’t learn from one bashing to the next. It’s an age thing!

 

Sometime today we’ll reach our halfway point.

 

No dolphins sighted yet. Not so many flying fish either. the opposite of our voyage south when we had plenty of both plus lots more seabirds to keep an eye on us.

 

P, L, M & M