Currently due west of Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria etc. on the bottom of the ear of west Africa. To our west is Trinidad and Tobago but miles away…

We passed the 2,000 mls to Rio point this afternoon but are still stuck in the bloody doldrums.

They run from 10 degrees North to around 6 degrees north but move and are currently moving South …as we are. What little wind there is are sea breezes and currently we just can’t head South so its either pretty well due West or East meaning we are not much closer to getting through it just going along it.. every metre gained is a result.. even through the whole area is around 250 N miles wide.

Ho hum, we need to get out of here, everyone knows that whoever exits first and gets to the Southerly Trade winds usually wins. Confidence waxes and wanes depending on how we are doing at the time.

Writing going well I’ve stumbled over a fairly good concept about the differing lifelines of several people on board have merged at this point and why.. I’m interviewing them and asking for total honest about why they are here and what their hopes for the future are now and then plan to ask them again in a years time – successes and failures etc. People are being very open and honest it’s good. No idea what I’ll do with it..

Bloody sat phone is next to useless and has now gone permanently engaged, plus I was the last to use it so may end up with a bill for 72 hours talk time!!!

Later

Richard/ Tricky /Dad x