It is a beautiful afternoon out here in  the Bay of Biscay! Sun is out, breeze is SSW 22kts and seas are large but regular! Robert cooked the 2 massive beef burgers we had bought in the Azores, with shallots and new potatoes! Delicious! I think that is the last of the fresh food so it is Mr Parsley Box from now on, although supper might well be potatoes and shallot omelette!

We went through a patch this morning of big seas and lighter airs, almost tempted to set the spinnaker but the seas were quite broken astern, and sure enough the breeze has filled in well now. Poled out yankee and full main and we are getting along at about 6.5 – 7 kts boat speed, although I am increasingly convinced that the log under reads slightly as the difference between SOG and Speed is too constant and there is only a small current out here.

We have a lot of boats around us still – the sailing yacht Xena which is not in the race but regularly blocking the path of us all as she rolls along the same course! Fidelitas and Bonkers are both a mile ahead to port. All in all it is quite busy! Both those 2 are not in our class anyway – I think they are the class 3 or even class 2 boats so give us time.

We have just gybed back onto stb as we were about 25nm west of the rhumb line and given the forecast there is no need to sail the extra distance. Some boats have to as they hate running dead downwind (as do I), but we manage it fine even if making lunch or even a cuppa is a challenge!

I hope all is well with you all on terra firma! We are over 300nm in now and still have some 850 to go! I think this wind is due to veer more to SW and even W in a few days which would create a lovely broad reach for us with staysail and yankee! Fingers crossed!

Love to all,

Tim and Robert