The trough passed through, the winds shifted, and although conditions aren’t perfect they’re certainly good enough. We sailed through the reef this afternoon and are now running downwind steering ENE with the genoa poled out to port.

For the next two days we expect favourable wind conditions, but then there may be a period when we run into headwinds. We continue to talk with Herb Hilgenberg every day and he’s helping us pick our way through a fairly complex set of weather systems. We’re heading for a waypoint that he suggested, hoping to get no more than one day of north-easterlies before picking up stronger north-westerlies.

Bermuda has dropped below the horizon and once again we’re alone on the ocean. Several other boats also left today, headed in the same direction. But none are in sight and it’s unlikely we’ll see any of them again until we reach Horta in the Azores.

Our unexpected visit to Bermuda was a delightful break in the journey but we’re all very happy indeed to be on the way and settling back into the shipboard routine. After several days on shore we need to readapt to the movement – very different from the feel as we sailed up to Bermuda always on the wind.