15:53.5N 43:29.4W

After the exhilaration of yesterdays 202 mile run we are back to more mundane speeds over the last 24 hours yet have still posted 174 miles over the ground in a direct line for St Lucia.

Winds have abated to between 10 and 15kts and we are hoping for wind speeds to increase to 20+ to enable us to get back to the 8kts that we need in order to arrive on or before the 12th.

We continue to get large areas of storm clouds and squalls, particularly at night but have been able to avoid most of these unsettled areas.

Rain and little wind this morning has now given way to blue skies and light winds and we are sailing along at 6.5kts under our big Purple cruising chute alone.

We have heard that the first boats are due to arrive either later tonight or tomorrow morning while we have at least 6 days to go as have the majority of the fleet with some boats not yet passed the halfway mark in what has been a very light winds year.

Our position report yesterday showed that we were making ground on the boats in front and only 7 boats posted more miles for the previous 24 hour run.

Having passed the half way mark both in miles to run and degrees of longitude we should move under 1,000 miles to run within the next 2 hours, another major landmark.

For the first time we saw no other boats around us last night nor have we seen any today although the radar shows a couple of boats 20 miles to the south of us. This is also the first time that we have not heard any radio chatter.

This morning a young egret came alongside the boat and after an hour of circling landed briefly on the guard rails but was frightened off by the sails flapping. It looked exhausted and in need of a rest. We hope it makes its landfall.

Flying fish continue to land on the boat and an early morning inspection of the decks is necessary to throw them overboard before they stain the teak.

The seas have calmed a little now and moving around the boat is easier and we are trying to catch up on some chores as well as some sleep. All aboard are well, relaxed and well fed.

Chris's  guest Blogg

Well how time flies all of the usual time indicators do not apply when you are on a long passage as I am finding. At home Tuesdays are about getting the bins out for the bin man. Mondays was about making sure that I didn't miss Spooks and Friday night was about sharing and enjoying a nice bottle of red. 10pm each night was watching the news and at 10.30 News Night on BBC2. All of these and a myriad of other indicators kept me aligned with the time and day of the week I was into at any one time. On our passage we still have indicators but not as you might know them. The biggest one is the watch pattern we all live by. This normally consists of a 4 hour one during the day and a three hour one at night. To begin with we all found it difficult to fit into this pattern especially when there was a lot of movement and sounds on the boat which would keep us awake. Also as we are heading south and then west the temperature is rising which can cause discomfort. So after the watch pattern the other big time reference point is when we have our meals and what is the menu. Also where will we eat in the saloon or up on deck. As mentioned previously on a very wavy sea it is a significant challenge to ensure that your plate, cutlery, drink and all the other items that you need to are all kept on the table And not in your or someone else's lap. We all take it in turns supported by Steve who has the ability to make even the simplest of meals very tasty and edible. Cooking at a 35 degree angle is a challenge at the best of times even before you have thought what we are cooking. The good news is that everyone has settled very comfortably into our life on the ocean waves. The other item that I have come to realize is what a long way across(pretty obvious statement but until you are faced with 2800 miles approximately) it is and how we are totally reliant on the wind to get us across. So the wind speed and direction is regularly talked about as much as trying to agree on when we will arrive in St Lucia before all of the loved ones have flown home. Another piece of good news is that the cooking oil that we put down our toilet got rid of the squeak so our regular visits are not as public as they used to be.