Position 014:22:3N 054:46:9W

 

360 miles to go.

After several days of very unsettled weather, we are back into 25-30 knots of wind from behind and big seas. The boat is pitching about all over the place and everyday tasks have become tediously difficult again. But we’re not complaining as the sun is out and we are barrelling along at 7-8 knots directly towards St.Lucia.

If this wind holds up we could be arriving as early as Friday evening, but the forecast says it’s going to drop on Friday and Saturday, so our progress could slow considerably. However the forecasts have been wrong for the last few days so we’ll see.

Yesterday we had an unfortunate accident on board, when JJ was on the foredeck helping to change a genoa sheet that was chafing through, the spinnaker pole fell on his head and gave him a nasty cut. Oly sprung into action and administered the appropriate first aid. Although JJ recovered well after the initial shock, we were still concerned about him due to the size of the blow, so got on the sat phone to the coastguard (MRCC) in Falmouth, who took our details and then conferenced in a doctor from QA hospital in Porstmouth. The doctor alleviated Oly’s concerns and it was agreed that JJ was going to be OK. He is feeling fine now, and is sporting a rather fetching shaved head and bandage look, which I am sure Juliet is going to love!

On a lighter note we were visited by whales a few evenings ago. It had just got dark and we were all in the cockpit relaxing, when I heard a blowing noise to starboard. Only about 10 meters away 2 or 3 whales briefly surfaced, checked us out and then disappeared again. Quite exciting to have them come so close and made more spooky by it being dark so we could only just see their outlines.

Today Freddie and the girls catch their flight to Barbados, where they are staying one night before flying to St.Lucia tomorrow. Very exciting that they will be there to see us arrive, and Freddie is adamant they will be on the dock whatever time we come in.

I can’t wait to see them and step foot on terra firma after 18 days at sea. Getting so close now we can almost smell the rum punches!

Roll on Open Blue.