Going even slower today.

Position: 50,27.8N , 7,42.85W

Speed: 4 knots, Course: 345 deg.

The wind has been between none and 3 knots all morning. We are drifting our way across the Irish Sea. We were very lucky and caught Ericsson yesterday just before sunset. They had gone straight across the bay between Lizard Point and Start Point while Brasil, Pirates and the rest of the fleet went a little deeper into the bay. In the afternoon, we al benefited from a land breeze coming off the shore and sailed a much faster course arriving at Lizard at the same time that Ericsson did.

All night last night, it has been a see saw battle with the three Farr boats. The ABN boats and Brunel are out of sight, to the north east.

There is not a lot to do strategically but battle through these light winds and wait for the high pressure to move over us and off to the east. We should get some light southwesterly’s once the high moves over us. That will allow us to make progress to the south western tip of Ireland and then we will be running up the west coast, still in fairly light winds. Later a front will reach us and bring fresher westerlies and north westerlies.

At this point, we are looking at rationing food. We brought food for six days which would have been one day more than needed. We won’t starve but a bit of food management is prudent at this point.

Our basic strategy is to stay close to Brasil on this leg. The weather is quite volatile and variable so we just don’t want to risk a big separation with them. If we are right behind them, we essentially move foreword in closing down on second place over all. If we beat them, then that is obviously better.

We have gybed now and are on port tack with light winds from the southwest.This may mean that the center of the high has passed us and we are on the road to a bit faster progress. Always good to try to maintain an optimistic attitude in these trying circumstances.

Paul Cayard

Pirates of the Caribbean