“21:14N 64:46W”

Saturday 4^th – Sunday 5^th May

We crossed the start line for the beginning of leg 1 of ARC Europe pretty much at the back of the fleet, but managed to overtake about 6 boats as we sailed past Great Thatch and Little Thatch and Jost van Dyke and managed to pull further away as we turned the corner and headed north.

Weather has been mostly sunny and hot, wind 14-16 knots from the east with a bit of a lumpy sea from about the same direction which makes for quite an uncomfortable ride but we are going fast! We have covered 182 nm since leaving yesterday.

We decided to reef for overnight which took us rather a long time so we lost some ground to the boats behind us, but only one overtook us.  We are now leading the back markers.

With quite a bouncy sea it was good that we had made dinner before we left – lasagne, so it just needed heating through.  What we have tonight will depend on how bouncy the boat is.

Had quite a lot of water in the bilge – not sure where it has come from but it’s not salty which is a good thing.  Lots of water came over the bow last night so some of that has probably found its way in. Another job for when we’re in Bermuda...