Position: 15.03N 042.48W
Wind: E12-15knts
Course: 270T
Day’s Run: 130M
Piccadilly Circus it ain’t. We’re about a thousand miles East of the Islands and the same North of the Amazon delta, continuing to creep West propelled by light and fitful winds.
At about four thirty this morning, with Polly and the girls down below snoring like the town band and just before the dawn’s lightening of the Eastern horizon, I raised my head from m’book (Adam Nicholson’s ‘Sea Bird’s Cry’, five stars) and nearly jumped out of my skin to see a real ship’s light about ten miles off. This was the first visual of another craft we’ve had in a week. Out in the mid ocean dolphin visits have petered out entirely and all we have for company are the occasional tropic bird, flying fish and a couple of superior type pilot whales who, heading upwind, swam past without deigning to register our presence.
Anticipating our eventual return to civilisation the girls are mapping out where they want to visit in the Caribbean – Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe as a first course. As far as I’m concerned anywhere where I can secure a croissant for breakfast and a rum and lime to salute the setting sun will do just fine.
Tom