Day 5 finds the crew of Patience much improved in spirit as the wind has returned.  We continue to make progress south towards the Cape Verde Is and have 600 miles or so on the trip.  The wind continues to be fickle due to an uncharacteristic depression well to the north upsetting the normal Atlantic trade winds.  Of course, you will all sympathise with us and our difficulties, especially when the centre of the depression runs over you some time next week!  We have a cunning plan, and hope to use the wind shifts which will do a complete 360 degree shift over 48 hrs to make our way south and finally west.  Watch this space to see how successful we are.

Highlights today include; Charlie christening the fishing line – but no fish caught, talking on the VHF with a number of yachts in our vicinity who have caught fish, having the small spinnaker up and down – and up again inside 20 minutes and, big drama, discovering that the aft heads was blocked.  Now those of you who sail will know that the heads (toilets for non-mariners) always get blocked when away from base and it is inevitable that some poor soul has to volunteer to get struck in with plunger and brush.  Without going into too much detail, our problem was a blocked outflow from the holding tank but Bob ‘Dyna Rod’ de La Haye was on hand with a sail batten and all is now well.

Finally, MB, the fashion victim and logo hunter, appeared in new multibranded, elasticated waisted, technical shorts this morning.  Naturally, the rest of the crew are most impressed but the Owner is slightly miffed as he also has a pair.

Love to all at home, ‘Stowaway’