Weather sunny but hazy. Fullish moon at night bright but hazy. There is a lot of rain around but hoping we will skirt it.

I’ve had the usual run in with mailasail having used up our month of inclusive data in only four days! The system is data crazy and pounces on any mistakes, incorrect settings and so on so all my gribs and emails are now at premium cost.

I have discovered the Garmin inReach. Also Iridium based and for half the cost of mailasail you get unlimited emergency coverage, unlimited messaging, unlimited real time tracking for anyone to follow, navigation, weather forecasts and a device that is hand held and goes with you. It’s been in our grab bag for emergency use but I now realise it could be a primary form of communication - I thoroughly recommend one for any off line travellers. Our Garmin address is hughandannie {CHANGE TO AT} inreach {DOT} garmin {DOT} com. Some are communicating direct, others find it difficult. I can put your email or phone number in my Garmin contacts and share my map tracking page on request.

Other highlights include Annie removing my 10 stitches and discovering we seem to have a regulator issue with our Duogen that means we don’t get nearly as much battery charging from it as expected. Not an insurmountable problem but at the moment we cannot run our new freezer. Defrosted prawns anyone?

Last night we had loud creaking from the base of the mast and fore and aft rocking movement. Annie’s creak cure is WD40 and after a dosing of that all was silent. I still feared mast or structural failure so have today tightened the Cap shrouds but of course can’t hear now if there is still movement! With our new rigging some stretch was inevitable. We will keep monitoring.