Day 3

Sadie
Fri 8 May 2015 16:42
20:46.459n 60:50.256w
 
Distance to home:  3393 miles
 
Distance run today:  120 miles  
 
Course 050
 
 
It's pretty empty out here.  No boats sighted since Barbuda, 36 hours ago.  We did see one airliner yesterday evening but he was 40 000 ft up and not much good for conversation. Just spotted a few moments ago was an orange peel so there is other life out here somewhere upwind.
 
Domestic
 
Settling in now as we are beginning to get over any sea sickness.We once again enjoyed some music in the cockpit last night from the 'boom boom' as the old timers call it as well as a crossword to keep our brains active. The night watches are beginning to work well and shooting stars are seen often!
 
On the food front we enjoyed a simple yet appetizing evening meal of corned beef, smash and beans and this morning some bread and marmalade. We are contemplating putting the fishing line out soon and might even be found sipping a rum punch this evening ...
 
Tim and Wills have completed a few 'easy' suduko's this morning and Wills has even picked up his first book of the trip, 'Africa in a Baloon' (thanks to Steph Bareford for the gift). I (Wills) did also borrow some books from my brother, because I trust him with anything academic related but Bill Bryson's 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' seemed a bit heavy to start on seeing as I have barely picked up a book since my last sailing voyage, but I might tackle it a chapter at a time at some point.
 
Because planning is everything, Jez has brought the same book !
 
 
Sailing
 
Wind has died to about 15 knots and the seas have calmed - good easy sailing and we are on a close reach to the NE, expecting to be pushed further north as the wind changes tomorrow. 
 
At the risk of this becoming a geography lesson, we need to get far enough north to catch the winds of the Azores High heading in the right direction and then try to ride them for a couple of thousand miles.
 
We also have about 1/2 knot of adverse current frim the SE which is slowing the boat, later in the journey this will more than be evened out as currents will then be helping us home.  Columbus had to learn this as he went along but we have a lot of information to help us plot a route home - just as well because there is no-one out here to follow ! 
 
 
Natural History
 
Thanks to Dave Smart for the rapid turnaround on our visitor yesterday - Identified as a Pomarine Skua.  It was an impressive bird and came for a good long look at us but we had no food for it and it's not been back.
 
A few flying fish is it so far today and we have just been visited by the funny looking white bird with the streamer tail that was familiar from the trip out - we cant remember what it is called, only that it's not a bird of paradise.
 
Hopefully we will have more to report tomorrow.  If the wildlife wont come to us then we plan to bring it onto the boat with rod and reel !
 
 
Todays responses
 
Mum (Gran) - Good to hear from you and thanks for the football updates
 
Richard - elction stats
 
Alex  - more elections stats ,sounds good on you exam ,we need relegation and prommoted teams from all divisions.
 
Emily - keep up the cycling and hard work
 
Baz  - could be 3 weeks to the Azores give or take a few days
 
Mum (Pat R) - glad you got the photo, the view is now a little different
 
Em - OK so you have done 4 miles and I've done zero, but I got 8 hrs sleep last night.
 
Joe - sorry, I meant dolphins last night, not fish. We have still seen neither.
 
Dave Payne - Shipping is safe enought from us for now.  There is nothing out here to hit.
 
Harv / Joe - enjoy training tomorrow.
 
Lizzie - Have a good time at Abbie's
 
Sadie