Day 1

Up at six, which feels like nine or ten. The previous night out with Angie had been fun and I was listening to 106fm, the station on which we had been mentioned the day before. Weather: 27.1°C, 86% Relative Humidity, 0.3mm rain (10.3mm this month), the previous night's low was 25°C and high was 30.1°C according to the Grenada Met office - it felt a lot hotter. Sunrise was at 5.48am and sunset 6.36pm. Reckon this might help in one of the challenges. Can't say that I'm into the idea - I still want to go home - I'm bored and find myself spending more time away from the others, even if it means sitting in my room.

Today we were given our challenges. Ellen has to get a natural sunblock, J and Kathy have to make a thermometer and Mikey B and I have to make ice. It's a cool challenge, but a very difficult one. In the UK it would be hard at any time other than winter but on a tropical island at 32°C it's going to be very difficult. We agreed pretty quickly that we would need to use every method available. Evaporation would cool - just like sweat it keeps us cool - but enough for ice? No way! Insulation? Well that would only maintain a low temperature that may be as experienced at night: 27°C. I glanced across the sea and watched a pelican fly by. Cool!

I'm still deeply unhappy. It's not as much fun as the last trip. There were lots of things that I didn't like about this trip and I feel very compromised. The crew this time have become very cliquey. Almost like divers versus non-divers and there are plenty of strong characters, who are amazingly thoughtless, on the team.

Day 2

AM

Can't get away from today being Sunday. Instead of Calypso and Regae it's just Gospel on 106fm. They take religion seriously here.

I've been thinking about it for a while and I definitely do want to go home. It's nowhere near as much fun as the last trip to Capraia. I'm almost regretting renting my house out. I'm bored stiff and am finding it hard to be positive about anything. It's a gift of a job but it just goes to show that without enthusiasm I can't do anything and I'm no longer enthusiastic about Rough Science 2. My weekend away in Snowdonia was far better than coming to the West Indies. I plugged on with the vacuum device and it did work but no chance of making ice. I miss my girlfriend, friends, training at Tai Kwon Do, dirt biking etc. and feel totally out of my depth. I'm not really enjoying myself at all. I'm not an actor - a job as a dustman looks favourite at the moment. Whatever - I want to go home.

LUNCH

Sussed out why I was in such a foul mood - in part anyway: lack of chocolate. One chocolate biscuit from Jonathan and I'm buzzing. I'm going to have to get a stock. Lunch was much the same every day: bread, cheese, cucumber, tuna, peanut butter, jam and tomato, followed by bananas. Just the kind of simple food I like. We collected together some chairs and most of us followed lunch with a short doze. The lime factory was very homely with bats flitting from beam to beam. As with Rough Science 1, there were bonfires everywhere and I already stank of smoke. I glanced out of the window behind me and saw palm trees waving in the wind framing a gorgeous blue sea. Through the door in front of me I could see pasture dotted with tropical trees, and to my left High North covered in forest. Within hours I'm happy again: chocolate - bloody miraculous stuff.

Over lunch John Foakes discussed vacuums with us - we have a change of plan. Rather than use an aspirator, the new vacuum idea was so obvious. A 5 metre syphon tube will suck water up to 5 metres rather than 20cm. A conservative estimate would suggest that we have 25 times as much suction.

J and I walked back to the hotel along the beach. It was covered in rubbish - typical West Indies. Back at the hotel I took a telling off of sorts from Kate and to a degree David and Steve about my surly behaviour. I am going to try to cheer up.

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Content last updated: 28/07/2006