5th day 01:06:64N 085:17:04W

Day 5 The doldrums continue! Had been on starboard tack all night doing
around 3 kts. We had made a bit of progress south but were also slanting east
towards the coast of Just before lunch we put the engine off and were able to sail on port
tack albeit very slowly – only making 2 to 3 knots – but how
peaceful it was just watching the huge swell rolling along – no wind chop
on the sea so very, very pleasant. No need to rush in these conditions and we
know we’re not going to starve (and we might well be out here another 5
days at this speed!) Saw a fishing boat mid afternoon – that’s the
first vessel we’ve seen since the first day. No cetaceans and just one
long-tailed tropic bird. Spent a goodly amount of time cutting up our plastic
waste – Matt reckons it’s like being on Blue Peter. All food waste
goes to feed the fish. The empty glass bottles and cans we fill with sea water
then condemn them to the deep. But absolutely no plastic goes overboard. I
rinse everything with sea water then cut it up small – it’s amazing
how many milk/juice cartons you can get into a small bag! Days distance: 103
miles |