13:17.2N 46:08.6W

A rather more frustrating day windwise than we have been used to and we even resorted to the donk for an hour with the sails slatting agonisingly in the middle of the night. Soap was passed up during the first proper squalls, and we even enjoyed becoming a little chilly as the rain persisted for a couple of hours. Supper was taken down below for the first time with a nice cosy atmosphere (except for Pete and Richard who were getting drenched on deck). In case people are wondering why we are heading for French Guyana rather than St Lucia, we have been aiming for a point, now 50 miles or so away, for the last 6-7 days, to take us South of a high pressure sitting over the direct route. This route, so carefully plotted, now seems to have been absorbed by the ever-expanding high pressure, so there will have been little (any?!) benefit in our large detour. Morale is high, we are having huge fun out here in the most perfect sailing conditions imaginable. I think we all appreciate that we couldn’t be with better crewmates, I know I do. The boat is doing everything I had ever wished for in a boat; she is fast, comfortable, light on the helm, breathtakingly beautiful, and the kit is all working like a dream with ample power from Myrtle (hydrogenator), and water from Digby (watermaker). The crew move around above and below deck with confidence, attending to things without prompting, always looking to do more, and suggesting how things could do be improved. Big Blue, the symmetric spinnaker, has been flying all day in 15 knots wind, pulling us along at 8-9.5 knots, I have been shamefully exercising skipper’s prerogative and hogged the helm.

Current ETA Friday afternoon but that will depend on just how light the conditions are early next week.

Jonnie