32:59.0N  11:11.2W

12.00 GMT, Friday 22^nd October 2010

Unfortunately the forecast has been spot on and there is still no wind.  When I say ‘no wind’ I really mean zero wind.  The sea is so glassy calm it’s like a mirror.  You would never believe that the Atlantic Ocean could be so calm.  Needless to say we’re still motoring!  Apart from a brief 30 minutes yesterday afternoon, when we decided to have a break from the noise and play with the spinnaker the engine hasn’t stopped.  We managed to get the spinnaker to fill for about 1 minute during which the boat speed leapt up to 1.2 kts!! 

We’ve passed a couple of other yachts each about 2 miles away heading in roughly the same direction.  They have either significantly more patience, or less diesel than us, as they were both trying to sail – an activity that is probably even more frustrating than motoring.

The lack of wind does have some advantages though.  Toby has started fishing and claims he’s had a bite, but ‘it got away’.  Unfortunately no one else was on deck at the time in confirm the claim, but we’ll take his word for it.

Alan baked his first loaf of bread and Date and Walnut muffins during his 0400h – 0700h watch.  The bread can’t have been too bad as it was all gone within an hour of coming out of the oven.

On the wildlife front the glassy calm seas have also had some advantages.  We’ve been visited by a handsome family of dragonflies, which keep landing in the cockpit.  We also had a fantastic dolphin visit.  With the sea so glassy calm we were able to take some incredible photos looking down from the bow.  You will have to wait until we have wifi to see them properly, but below is a small taster.....

We still have 270 miles to go to Lanzarote.  The forecast is showing wind filling in tomorrow afternoon and we’re really hoping it’s right so we can give the engine a rest.