35' 45N 53' 39W

OK, I must admit, this is getting a bit boring now. We are back in light airs, long sunny days and cloudless nights wistfully floating along with little or no boat speed.

Goldie Raley said today "You know, we shouldn't complain, if this was a day sail these would be near perfect conditions" The trouble is we are in our fifth week now and we would really like to get to Boston and finish this confounded leg. The position reports are changing so frequently, and in such a way, that we could understand if people have contacted the Challenge Business asking if the website is reporting the correct information. We have to double-check the figures ourselves as we type them in too. In a 24-hour period our position will go from third to eighth to fifth with no indication where we will end up as we get the next reports -it's all so random. It has reached a stage where I for one pretty much ignore them.

Once the wind picks up and there is once again an equal playing field, then can we analyse how we are doing in the race. For now we can pretty much assume that BG SPIRIT has it in the bag for first place, Team Save The Children and Pindar are going to need some help to get out of the last two places but every other position is there to play for - though VAIO are building a nice distance with about 60 miles between them in second place and SAIC La Jolla in third.

The weather predictions are suggesting a change in the conditions in the next 24 hours with winds of 30 knots and a possibility of 50 knots, however these are not set to last more than about eight hours or so.

The talk on deck and at the midday briefings has been can we do anything? David confirmed that we are sailing the boat as well as we can for the conditions but there is not much more we can do. Yachts either side of us gain one moment and we and the yachts behind gain the next. For the first time in the race so far I think luck is playing a huge part. Amongst the crew it's a new emotion to deal with - are we destined to be lucky? We've had some luck in the past but our ability to sail the boat better in most conditions has been the key factor in putting us two points ahead overall.

With such variable conditions controlling our destiny, at least in the short term, we have to dig deep to a new place, let the uncontrollables deal their hand and play it the best we can.