Apr 28, 2005 – 1200hrs UTC

1200hrs 28 Apr 2005 UTC Map Ref 188

It’s beginning to look just a teensy bit promising – we may just be on our bikes and on the way but with this particular ExaminerShe who asks awkward questions of the crew and tests them with difficult tasks., ain’t nothing certain – I can sense her presence everywhere. And, I suppose by some sort of freudian association, are you out there Ma’am, reading this nonsense and, if so, please give us a blast – be good to hear how you are getting on. Otherwise, Gerry, report please – I’ll write to you separately anyway – 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. is interesting and basically very accurate as long as you understand what you are looking at. Took us some time.

Writing this in the early morning, local time – sun about 15 degrees, really hot already – I’m running with sweat at the nav table and the laptop is hot to the touch. Not helped by having the ConePlastic roll-down curtain to protect nav table /instruments from water of SilencePlastic roll-down curtain to protect nav table /instruments from water partly lowered to be safe. Pete trying to sleep – we have both hatches cracked open but not enough to get any real draught through the boat. There’s a bit too much spray over the deck. Means we’re moving – at about 6 kts. Woohooa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohoooa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!! WOOOHOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!! WOOOHOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!! WOOOHOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOa primitive, exultant, gibbon-like call given out by an old geezerDictionaries define a geezer as an old person, generally an eccentric old man. Its origin likely in the word masquerader (colloquially, guiser) from Middle English gysar. Go figure, as the Americans say.; many variations as listed, in order of emphasis: Woohoo Woooohooo WOOOHOOO WOOOHOOO! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!.

We are now north of Australia. Sort of a lonely feeling – really out on our own. We’ve gone most of the way up the eastern coast of S. America out of sight of land, about 10 ships, all but one in the night (because of their navigation lights – they are much harder to spot during the day if more than a couple of miles away) and no other sign of teeming humanity just over the horizon. We’ve heard stories about the coast from the NE corner westwards and we intend to stay well outside the Arquipelago de Fernando de NoronhaA Brasilian archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, 354 km (220 mi) offshore from the Brazilian coast. More on Wikipedia. , just in case. As we track now, we’ll do it in one, but it may need another tack east later.

And we’re far enough out from the coast once again for the ISSInternational Space Station 11 crew, John Phillips and Serguei Krikalev, to be our nearest neighbours for a few moments each day. We’re hoping to hear from them, but obviously we ought not expect anything.

Sal – best wishes to you and the Keyclowns and to Tom and Luca. How goes +16? T & L, this is worth doing one day if it grabs you, but remember that it’s mostly planning and preparation, a lot of tedium and just a few scary bits. Hombre apercebido medio combatidoQuoted from Inspector Morse novel by Colin Dexter 180; translates roughly as “the man who is prepared has half the battle won – Don Quixote – Dexter again.

Doug M – thanks for the historical detail -I knew about the Lightning  but not the string of associations. Perhaps you could find out a bit more about Francis Crozier for Pete. Apparently a fairly common name in Ireland – interesting to know whether there’s a connection there too.

David – aiming for the equator on your birthday – but you know how it is – could be a week late…no way we’ll be early.

And for the punters, Malcolm will put all the ETAEstimated Time of Arrival’s on the website, unidentified. There is a very faint possibility that we may do a 24 hour pit stop (diesel and grog!) in the Azores. Not if I can help it and not if the wind and the ExaminerShe who asks awkward questions of the crew and tests them with difficult tasks. are kind to us. I might consider adjusting he earlier guesses – or maybe not – the ExaminerShe who asks awkward questions of the crew and tests them with difficult tasks. is frowning.