DAY 12 - doldrums

Ugcxatlantic
Tue 2 Dec 2008 10:55
 
17:38.70N  36:49.20W
 
 
Since Friday we have been surrounded by low pressure centers, and we still are. When one drift away the next one is lining up with the consequence that it completely disturbs the "normal" wind pattern in the area, a trade wind which we in fact can read about in the wind reports appearing east of us as well as in the west. Last night we took some heavy rain showers. But the problem is the missing or/and unstable wind. The only reason we are able to keep up a triple digit nm per day (>100 nm) is the local temporary winds that appears for a few hours and then later die out again. 
 
We manage every bit of air movements as best as can, it provides good sail training given the current circumstances. Yesterday we passed a lonely sea turtle, could be 1 meter in diameter I guess. Not sure if it's correct to say we 'passed' it, - we both were 'paddled along' with the same speed....
 
Fishing has been low last couple of days, the fish seems not to take the bait with the low speed we keep. However, this is compensated by the Flying fish just dumping into the cockpit during the nights, if not a soft landing they bang against the aluminum that hold the bimini up and fall directly into the bucket (if we/they are lucky).
 
Spirit is good though. We tend to practice more and more math calculations: - remaining Nautical miles divided into expected nm per day equals to..xy?..days remaining? There are so many possible answers.
 
We have done stock counting. Some fresh meat we threw overboard last Saturday, we accept no risks of salmonella or any other food infections, no thank you. Bread, pastas, bacon, meatballs, canned ham, eggs and potatoes... We are ok. Total drinking water (from the shop as emergency) we are fine as well, and the water tanks (produced from saline water) have now reached to a maximum 400 ltr. tank capacity again. Diesel consummation is evenly spread out. We use when we have to. So all in all we can just relax and enjoy a lazy cruising and hope they do not close the local pub in the island we are heading to, -Martinique in the Caribbean, now defined as our target destination. We should have passed 50% of the distance this morning (according to our last revised schedule) but unfortunately we have to wait for this milestone until late evening or early morning.
 
Currently we are motoring at 7 knots and the sun has just appeared in the horizon (sunrise appears later every morning).
Another day....
 
Current log (actual):  1370 nm (estimated at noon today Tuesday)
 
Day 11    approx. 100 nm (not yet final, we clock it at noon)
Day 10   118 nm
Day 9    113 nm
Day 8    117 nm
Day 7    127 nm
Day 6    118 nm
Day 5    150 nm
Day 4    137 nm
Day 3    100 nm
Day 2    120 nm
Day 1    170 nm