Day 5

Very slow day with 1 – 1.5 knots of current against and not a lot of wind – very frustrating!  Matt remembered that we could download a file which shows the future direction and strength of ocean currents so we did that and sure enough there was the culprit – a large eddy spinning off the west flowing equatorial.  However by changing course slightly to the south we could find the shortest route out of the worst of the eddy and we would pick up a positive current earlier than keeping our present course.  Still meant a day of adverse.  The wind picked up a bit in the night to around 15 knots along with the waves so it’s a bit more rocking and rolling.  But we are back up around 8 knots so that’s a great improvement!  We are out of the worst of the current now. - still have slight adverse cross current but expect it to turn in our favour later today, and stay that way to Cocos.

No cetaceans but we did see a nasty frigate bird attacking a small shearwater – it was relentless in it’s attack – just would not let the shearwater fly off the water.  Didn’t look like it would be a good outcome for the poor thing. 

1 flying fish on deck and 1 in the cockpit!

24 hours miles: 139

Position at 08.30 –1 September (GMT+8):  S14:49:74 E106:37:878