Eureka; we have actually hit a mile stone in that we have crossed 50 degrees east which is our quarter way mark on this trip. I have to say it has been a long time coming, certainly a lot longer than we expected for we should have had much more wind and better progress down here than we have.

I guess things will change but at the moment it looks very stable with a day of bright sunshine just keeping the chill off and a steady barometer. It's amazing to think that we actually made better progress during the doldrums so we do need a change or we will be running way over schedule. I have no doubt that it will change but in the meantime we are reviewing whether stopping in St Paul is a realistic option.

I think the cold is because we have crossed some kind of convergence zone in that the sea is really very cold now. Below it's like living in a garage during the winter and we have noticed a sharp drop in the number of birds today. I have no idea but feel that this may well have some bearing on it.

'Talisker time' tonight, 50 degrees east might not look much on the chart but it has been hard earned and we are going to make the most of it.

Cheers Pete

'I luv Gore-Tex me'; Last night was miserable in that it was freezing cold and we had a fine drizzle that gets in everywhere. Well it does if you're not dressed in Gore-Tex for it is the most amazing stuff and I have had a close relationship with it for many years. I first came across it in the Marines when it was on trail and remember thinking that there is no way cloth can be both breathable and completely waterproof and yet it was. Quite extraordinary and I have no doubt that it has saved many lives over the years, often without people realizing it. It has certainly upped performance right across just about every sport.

Those were early days and Gore-Tex fabric although basically the same in principle is now quite different thanks to its continued development. A development curve that I have had the pleasure of benefiting from thanks to a lifetime of sailing, walking and of course my trips to the North Pole. Indeed, I have got to know the company really quite well and for me it is the team that really stands out as they are a joy to work with. A classic example was the deck opening up in Cape Town and my concern for crew welfare below and the need for a dry sleeping bag. Try as I might I couldn't find Gore-Tex bivvy bags in the timescale so reverted to contacting Andy Warrender who put the word out. There were some new bivvy Bags on trail with the US Marines which would be coming in from the field in a day or so. A chain of people held together by the enthusiasm that can only be found in Gore had them washed and shipped down in time for our departure. They are fantastic and have saved the day, particularly for Andy who has a persistent drip above his bunk. Cheers Guys.

If the fabric is one thing then what you do with it is another and that is where Musto comes into the frame. I first met Keith Musto at the start of the 1988 Single Handed Transatlantic when I was about to take on the North Atlantic on a 26ft Firebird catamaran, and would spend the trip sleeping on deck a couple of feet above the water. I had trailed all the manufacturers and had hoped to use Musto for this one but the budget had run out. As I was working on the boat Tracey was keeping well wishers at bay and even today still blushes at asking Keith what he did. It was early days and we had a lot to learn but Keith being the gentleman he is just looked at my gear, turned round and came back with a completely new set of Musto Ocean. It was such a generous gesture for the Marina was full of glitzy professionals who were clamoring for his attention. That passage had me hooked and I have been a fan ever since.

Not because of what I wore but because of what they became thanks to Musto's insatiable appetite for development that takes them way beyond the competition. It feels good to have played a small part in this process for I have always competed in prototype equipment and fed back our thoughts, indeed, I wore the first HPX Suit into the Southern Ocean during the British Steel Challenge. During Team Philips we spent time at Dera in wind tunnels and cold chambers working on cut and materials. Fascinating stuff and the result, off the shelf, is keeping us warm, dry and efficient out here. How's it holding up; I threw it into the washing machine in Cape Town and you would think I had just bought it. So here's to Gore-Tex and Musto who have us covered right down to our boots!

As you can see I am in a reflective mood today for there was been a lot of time to allow the mind to wander as we drifted into the night. To offer a sense of this I relieved Mark early this morning to find he was delighted to have managed four miles in two hours. The good news is that the wind soon picked up a bit and as hoped we are able to carry the big lug and are making about four knots in the right direction. Our last twenty four hours produced 67NM with 4141NM to go.

Cheers Pete

Today has been a slow but good day in that it's been busy which is always nice for it is a distraction from our pace on the water. My sense is that on the final reckoning we will have had a better day than yesterday when we only managed 29NM which is pretty dire when you have 4208NM to go. If you are wondering we had a request come in on the blog asking us to put up our distance to go on a daily basis.

Last night saw the sails down for most of the night although we did try just about everything we could think of to keep her moving. The best thing seemed to be just the secret weapon and the mizzen strapped in really tight to try and reduce the rolling. Horrible is the only word I can come up with and of course the final outcome was a huge great tear in our lovely Cornish sail. That's one of the reasons today has been busy as the needle and thread plunged back and forth along a seven foot tear. Now this is an ideal opportunity to thank Hugh Shoulders who made us the most amazing sail repair kit and canvas bucket. Hugh; the bucket is in use all the time and I felt like a surgeon when I rolled out your sail makers. Brilliant thanks.

The other repair was re-sewing the leather on the main mast hoop which has a tendency to chafe through over time. A nice job when it's not wet although I have to say it was cold, in fact it's become really cold these last couple of days with thermals, hats and gloves being the norm. It took about an hour and with Andy on the helm we were able to have a chat and enjoy watching the bird life going on about us, as ever loads of inquisitive Albatross'. The highlight was a huge sunfish, its giveaway being that classic floppy fin and it was right on the nose. Mark was asleep but Eliot shot up and it was worth it for it was huge, would have weighted about a ton looking at it, very strange shape.

At the moment we are making anything between two to three knots and are hoping that the wind will rise a couple of knots such that it will fill the big lug which has spent the day languishing on deck. Be good to hear a bow wave towards Melbourne again.

Cheers Pete

Well, what can I say; I relieved Mark at 1800hrs and have spent it below cooking a honey roast ham with mash and pea's. The Tiller has been lashed throughout as we wallow away on an oily sea and no visible sign of wind on the horizon. Pudding was a couple of custard creams and conversations about how this leg is stretching out and we are powerless to do anything about it.

You might think it's lonely down here, it can certainly feel a desolate place at times but today it has been alive with social activity. If there is no wind then Albatross don't fly and what does anybody do when the shop shuts down? Congregate for a cuppa and a gossip and this is just what they have been doing along with another smaller bird that frequents the sky down here.

The Albatross have been tapping beaks and waving their wings in a courtly manner; a 'my wings are bigger than yours type of show for the girls'. What is fantastic is that they are completely fearless and have swum right up to the boat and that is when you really see the size of them. Oddly enough we have also seen a number of turtles over the last few days and the mind boggles at how they can find each other. In fact Eliot saw an Albatross have a good old peck at one, not that it seemed to take heed.

Well, that's my watch done, not a mile in sight and Eliot who has taken over is sitting on the engine box playing patience. An appropriate game for we have 4237NM to go. Mandy has emailed to say that someone has asked, through the website where St Paul's is; about 38.5S and 78E or roughly half way between Cape Town and Melbourne. If you go on Google Earth start at the Kerguelen Isles and go North with a bit of east in it.

Today's thank you goes to Martin Gundry for the beautiful saloon table that he made us. Martin, your wish has been fulfilled in that many chats, meals and glasses of wine have been enjoyed round your centrepiece. Look forward to catching up at London Business School for a cuppa on my return and hope the extension to your workshop is as you hoped. In fact I'll swing by to check it out and see what project you have on the go.

Cheers Pete