Not carbon neutral

09:50UTC 01/08/07 50'48.5N 000'52.8W

Here we are in the delightful Chichester harbour with the sun blazing down on another almost windless day. We've had a biut of a lie in as we got here at 1am this morning after motoring for 14 hours from Dover. The weather was so calm, and the night so beautiful that we decided to take advantage and keep on going.

But we've burnt a bit of diesel to get here! The fuel bill in Plymouth may be a bit painful.

Motoring in calm weather is strangely peaceful, despite the continual rumble of the engine. The boat rocks gently to the light swells and the crew relax and get on with little tasks on board. We have a list of daily tasks divided up between us, so one person is responsible for breakfast and lunch, another for dinner, snacks and tea, and one more for dishwashing, cleaning and other housekeeping. We rotate each day so you don't have to wash dishes too often!

Last night treated us to another beautiful sunset, full moonrise and then a couple of fabulous meteors, some of which triggered a lot of 999 calls to the coastguard reporting 'flares' seen off Brighton. We also watched the sattelites traversing, and I think I saw an 'Iridium flare' which is when one of the satellites in the Iridium phone network passes overhead and, during it's normal turn and twist, the sun glints of the solar panels causing a bright flash. Quite impressive.

We're having a gentle breakfast and setting off through the Solent today, heading for Studland Bay, a delightful anchorage near Poole. The Solent is the spiritual home of British yachting, and the place where the schooner America cam to challenge the best of british yachts for a race around the Isle of Wight - beating them hands down and initiating the longest running competitive trophy in sport - the America's Cup.

Time to stow the anchor and make way. Adieu.

N

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com