Sep 04, 2005 – 0900hrs UTC

0900hrs 04 Sep 2005 UTC 24’29”N 023’22”W Ref 329

DB: 130,11601 (GPS 137) so another goodish day.

Really soupy haze – sun came up white, first sighting about an hour after sunrise, through the murk. Looks like convergence zoneInter Tropical Convergence Zone, also known as The Doldrums conditions but we’re not there yet. Looking at the gribWeather files. Graphics in Binary file: GRIB files associate a specific weather datum (eg wind velocity or atmospheric pressure) with a geographic position. Because the resulting file is a collection of these points they are extremely small and so ideal over slow links such as sailmail., there’s a low forming over the Cape Verdes about 500 miles ahead – this is where the hurricanes are born, as big thunderstorms, which then set off west across the Atlantic and get bigger. There’s a photo on the website of Isabelle when it was just a big nasty thundercloud.

Looks as if the inter tropical convergence zoneInter Tropical Convergence Zone, also known as The Doldrums (the doldrumsInter Tropical Convergence ZoneInter Tropical Convergence Zone, also known as The Doldrums, also known as The Doldrums) is just south of the Cape Verdes and the SE tradesBands of NW and SW winds either side of the equator that blow with more or less constant speed and direction all year. at the equator are mostly SSE, so we’ll have to go west towards Brazil to make progress from there. But a long way ahead and it can all change in a day.

I’m now able to look ahead towards the rest of my life – there’s still this big black hole we’ve got to negotiate, but it does seem to have an opposite side, as it were. And I’m in trouble – I’ve been reminded that I promised last year’s S2HSydney-Hobart Race: often described as the most gruelling ocean race in the world, this annual race starts on 26th December from Sydney Harbour and ends in Hobart. The course is 628 nautical miles. crew that they are all invited for this year’s if we get there in time so I shouldn’t have asked anyone else. Sorry, Steve and FenwickA friend and clearly a colourful character and KatherineAlex’s daughter. So, Ross, James, Johnny G, Malcolm – are you on? KatherineAlex’s daughter first reserve, Jeanne second.

Made naan bread yesterday – fried the dough in very hot pan – worked really well and much quicker that long slow oven – think I’ll try to fry the next conventional bread mix as well. Will report later.