Leg 2 Day 23 : 52 36S 125 44W

So, here we are again, after weeks of bashing through the Southern Ocean we are once again becalmed. The same sea that once rose and thundered is now flat but for the occasional ripple. The horizon almost merges with the water creating an eerie feeling of floating in space. Sails, which only a few days ago pulled on their sheets like dogs pulling their owners through the park, now flap wistfully like the silk negligee on the girl next door's washing line. Below decks it is quiet except for the occasional gurgle of water around the hull and we can tell we're not moving at all. There are three noughts on the boat speed display and the wind direction indicator spins around 360 degrees and back again. Frustrating is a word used before in these logs and here it is again. The fleet positions become redundant, as we know they are probably changing significantly by the hour. All we can hope for is that the others are suffering the same. As it happens it would appear that Spirit of Sark are stuck too, however, BG SPIRIT further south are suffering less. It is a chance to pump water from the bilges that has eluded us when we've been heeled over and those that didn't get their showers before can now do so in comfort. The rest is welcomed but at the unacceptable cost that every hour we are still means an hour later getting into Wellington. That's it! That's been our day, somewhat different from most years where I'd be scurrying around the shops looking for Christmas presents or recovering from an over enthusiastic drinking session. Even though we've be dragged through it over the last few weeks, at this moment, I wouldn't exchange being right here, right now for how I've spent the week before Christmas in any previous year. I may well change my mind when it blows 30 knots again but for the time being - Now's the season to be jolly tra ah la la la, la la la la. John Bass