Date: 29/11/2009 20:00:36

Latitude: 21.43
Longitude: -37.44

Daily Log Number 7, ARC 2009, Sunday 29th November. 1240 UTC
Position: 21.43N 37.44W Today marks a big day for the crew of Northern Child - seven days at sea, the end of the first week, probably seven days longer at sea than the majority of the crew have ever sailed in one go before. There's not much out here in the way of other vessels now but we have had a report of an abandoned fishing vessel in our area, so it gives extra impetuous to a good look out being maintained at all times.

We know that the weather will change to scattered rain and thunderstorms perhaps 24 - 48 hours ahead of us as we encounter a developing trough. However, for the moment, we are enjoying another sparkling day, with bright sunshine and fair winds gently pushing us on our way towards St Lucia. The watch on deck are telling each other stories again and we are a happy bunch sailing along in calmer seas under the blue and yellow Swedish spinnaker

It looks like we will be unable to avoid a system ahead of us called a mid Atlantic trough, or wave, which is essentially an area of low pressure lying in a roughly north/south line. With fair weather ahead of the trough and showers, a changing wind direction and lighter airs behind, the trough will form a major obstacle to our progress west. There are no hard and fast rules, but normally the trough will either move west with us as we catch it up or it can stall completely and we will have to find a way through. Either way, we will have to come up with a cunning plan to deal with it over the next few days.

Our speed is measured in nautical miles per hour, or knots (noeuds in French). This unit of measurement deserves mention as it isn't quite the same as a statute mile. The term knot comes from the old days of sail where the watch keeper would literally have a piece of wood, called a log, thrown over the side attached to a piece of knotted line. Depending on how many knots disappeared as the line was streamed, so the speed was called. A little over 1.17 statute miles to the nautical mile, means that if we are travelling across the ocean at 9 knots, then we are doing roughly 10 miles per hour, or 15 kilometers per hour. On a nautical chart, one nautical mile is measured from the latitude scale on the side of the chart.

The picture today is of Ben steering in the early morning just after dawn has broken. Ben is part of the Simon, pilot Steve, Wheels (Sheila, more on that later) and Alan watch, currently on deck from 0600 to 1200. Ben is 54 and Dutch, is married to Myrte and they have two children: Tim who is 20 tomorrow and Katja who is 17. Ben started sailing as a child when he built a small wooden boat with his brother and father and sailed it from the age of about 12 until 19. 3 years ago his brother bought a Dufour 525 and Ben has really got back into sailing, both with his brother and doing courses leading up to his skippers ticket. As a family they charter in their favourite location, Greece and Ben was prompted to come on this trip to experience a longer passage and night sailing. He was persuaded to join by reading the old logs, so beware of the force - you can get addicted, there may be side effects!


Ben helming
Still happily celebrating the passing of the 1,000 mile mark, Lucy did a full English breakfast for the watch on deck for a second day, meaning that both watches have now been suitably rewarded. There are no vegetarians on board and the smell of bacon wafting around the boat first thing in the morning is pretty tempting to say the least! Of course, being up for both these watches writing the logs, I managed to sneak in and pretend to be part of both...We have just instituted an ETA competition, and hoping that we are going to make the half way mark this evening roughly at happy hour (change of watch at 1800) we have called for all the crew to submit their best guess by 1800. Times will be in local time St Lucia and tomorrow I will let you know the spread of guesses. Half way by 1800 after seven and a quarter days is very good progress for Northern Child, but with the trough ahead it is likely that we will slow down somewhat over the next few days.

Yet again we have sailed another good 24 hours run towards Spinnakers Bar, St Lucia, 195 miles. Lucy is baking a coconut and carrot cake, but is agonizing over doing a banofee pie for tonight and handing out the carrot cake tomorrow, or both today, or... decisions, decisions! Have a nice Sunday and spare a thought for us out here on the Atlantic. A bientot, Julian, Northern Child.