BT diary - Dickon Purvis

LG Flatron crewman says they are in fifth place but only 100 miles behind Logica

I’d love to know what you’re thinking. I’d love to know what Chris Tibbs has written. I’d love to know what the other crews are thinking. There’s a lot I’d love to know right now but, like a good thriller, I’m going to have to wait until the end to find out what happens.

Our world is 72 feet long and incoming information is scarce. The Olympics, the US election and most of the UK election have passed or are passing us by. Although we have numerous thousands of pounds-worth of communications equipment onboard, we are essentially living in our own little world of steel and water oblivious to the world and its shenanigans outside.

Variety enters our world through occasional e-mails but usually it’s through simple things like Cian’s attempt at a Jackson Pollock painting using his back as a canvas, suntan lotion as his paint and his hands to apply the abstract brushstrokes. The result? Crimson chaos. Then there are the 50 or so dolphins that appeared yesterday, bounding towards us from the horizon or the dragonfly, 500 miles from land, that buzzed Spike and made him scream like a little girl. All very entertaining for us but I guess you had to be there.

However, I don’t think our amusements onboard are the answer to my original ponderings. The main source of change onboard is the weather and it’s also why I’d love to know what you, Chris Tibbs and the other crews are thinking. The six-hourly scheds let us see what the other yachts have been up to; it lets us guess the wind strength and direction where they are. Then we try to understand how boats in front, behind left and right of us had more wind. It has felt as though every way we go this leg, we run into no wind. It’s weird sitting here halfway down the fleet, trying everything but getting little in return. It’s quite soul-destroying but you have to believe that previous successes weren't a fluke if you want to make it back to the podium.

We’ve been doing that for three weeks now and the Doldrums are pretty much finished. Hopefully, the Northeast Trade Winds will kick in soon and the drag race will begin. Out-sailing boats in the same wind is our forte and, at the moment, we haven’t had a chance to come back at the leaders. However, we are all fired up waiting for the weather to change. 100 miles to the leader with 2000 miles to go is our short-term target; after that, we’re going to work our way up the sched. Keep willing us on because you know how we love a dramatic finish.