Footnotes from Water Music

The Trade Winds continue to be elusive and it feels like we are more in the Doldrums than where we should be expecting constant breezes throughout the day with little variation in either direction or wind speed. That has not been our experience as we play hunt the wind. We now have a little over 500Nm to run to Antigua and reckon we have fuel to cover about 300Nm - so we are husbanding our most precious resource as we slowly make progress. If rain had been a fuel - we would be very fully supplied!

Last night we believe we passed a number of rowing boats on a largely moonlit night, but is often hard to make out exactly where the horizon is and so some of these sightings may have been stars on the horizon. During the course of the night we continued to make the right course (slightly South of West) but started close reaching on one tack, then put up the spinnaker and, as the moon set at 0300, we had to gybe the spinnaker. This morning has not let up and the wind has gone round a further 90 degrees so we find ourselves fetching into a very light South easterly breeze. We have turned on the engine in the hope this will help us to avoid a patch of no wind just to the North of us. We see if that is successful.

The food continues to be exemplary. Last night's Curry de Dorade a la Handel (Remember we are on Water Music) was sublime, only let down by the corked red wine we attempted to serve for dinner. Breakfast was a three course affair - including Dampers. Graham says they are served to Sea Scouts - i would imagine to quieten them down after food, if the somnelence of our happy crew is anything to go by at 1000 this morning. Fresh food is beginning to run out - but there remains one cabbage, which is beginning to smells strongly before being cooked. Maybe we'll get some wind after all.