45:40N  13:50W

We have covered 175nm in the last 24 hours and are over 850 miles from the Azores with 375nm to run to the Ushant Traffic Separation Scheme.  Right now we are in moderate to rough seas with a fresh south easterly blowing: the boat is reefed right down and we are compromising between sailing fast, throwing 25 tonnes of boat around and looking after equipment and people.

Percy the pigeon has established himself on the starboard quarter behind a sailbag and some fuel cans, though one large ‘goffer’ this morning washed him overboard.  Clearly made of stern stuff, he managed to get out of the water, flew around for a couple of minutes to try and dry off and then landed back on, looking rather bedraggled.  I wonder whether he will stay with us until he can smell the land?

Saturday Night at Sea went down well (we discovered that Azorean rib of beef is cheap for a reason)  though we have postponed the film night until calmer conditions prevail.  By then, we may be in the English Channel...

There are no new defects onboard, the boat is performing well and morale remains high, despite the rough seas.

Richard, Dave and Peter