Position: 18:38.275N 026:41.718W                     

We have been hunting for the trade winds and thought a few times we had found them, now, just under 19 degrees North I think we are there. We have gybed and turned west on a course of 260 directly towards St. Lucia.. At last the butter has melted.

Our furling gear is giving trouble.

We encounter Yacht Neroli and communicate on VHF. They seem to be having a Jolly time, with their whisky cake

Tonight the wind is sweet and very warm, all 25 knots of it. Gusting up to 29 we have taken two reefs in the main and rolled in a quarter of the genoa. The sliver of evening moon has set and we bumble along in the darkness.

Cerys sounds almost human tonight, the duogen is snoring and the odd cry or mumble prick your ears. These sounds have become so familiar, I am now able to judge speed by amps produced by the generator and where a week ago it took ten minutes to tune your night vision at the beginning of watch, now straight away I can pick out one, two, three vessels immediately. The water temperature has been steadily rising and is now at 24.1.

A stork tried to land in the crosstrees last night. This was worrying as none of us want to arrive in St. Lucia pregnant, we scared her off with extra virgin olive oil.

This morning we had two flying fish on deck.

Its now Sunday and I am taking sights with my new sextant and trying to learn this ancient and still very useful means of positioning. Ursula is cooking pancakes, I will say mass later and then maybe we will go for a walk on the beach before a pint and the Sunday papers.

Spermwhale sighted during Sunday pancake eating headed south about 100m off our stern. A brown grey colour, he was difficult to make out in the two metre swell, the cloud covered sky not helping.

At 1300 UTC we are seven days at sea. Neroli astern 2 miles.