D+4 Frustration

Before we left Cascais, we knew we needed to be a good 100nm south of Madeira by today to avoid the anticyclonic lull. We thought that would be easy, even at 100nm a day. We were wrong. After a second fitful day, we got a decent breeze for a few hours last night and were running at hull speed, accelerating to over 9kts at times, but it didn't last. By the early hours, the wind had died completely, leaving the sails thumping noisiliy as we rocked in the swell. Nobody slept well except the children. We have now resigned ourselves to at least 48hrs of calm, although we're currently making 4kts hard on a feeble breeze from the south, but don't expect it to last.

We were again joined briefly by bottle-nosed dolphins this morning and we watched them surf the swell in basence of a bow-wave from us. The only other wildlife we've seen for a couple of days was a small ray at the surfact yesterday afternoon showing it's nose, fin tips and tail before submerging again with a splash.

The crew asked in all honesty if we did have enough food as they'd been eating rather well. I think they were anticipating ship's biscuits and weevils, not sweet and sour, pancakes and puddings. Although the rest of our perishabe food is perishing even faster, we've ample stores. The skipper has requested we eat the heavy tins first so we can reduce some weight and sit on our marks correctly, but then he goes and pums another 70lts of sea water back on board through the desalinator.

The children both say that they love sailing and now are used the their own routine - I get them up at 8am after my watch, then it's breakfast, teeth and into the doghouse for formal schooling. They then get a play break until James wakes up and carries on their tuition before lunch. The afternoons are spent doing more practical and esoteric learning before they again get a couple of hours play before supper and bed.

Thank you all for the comments, although Dave and Olllie are feeling rather unloved as none of the comments appear to be for them.