43:00N 25:08W

Well today was much more exciting, for a start we have some wind and are actually sailing in the right direction.  The forecast doesn’t look great and it looks like the wind won’t last long so we need to make the most of every puff.  This morning when the forecast wind didn’t arrive we started contemplating going to Ireland as it is about 100nm closer and if the weather is calm it would actually be really nice.  We will defer that decision until we see how long this wind lasts and whether we then have enough fuel to motor.

The cloud has also cleared and now we have a lovely clear sky.

Then this afternoon we spotted another yacht nearby, the first boat we have seen for 3 days.  I (Mary) radioed them up and they turned out to be a really friendly French boat with two young guys on board.  We sailed over to them and took photos of each other and agreed to email them when we finally arrive.  We managed to pass them our card with our contact details attached to the end of the boat hook, much more fun than reading it over the radio.  They have no engine so it will be a slow trip for them if and when the wind dies.  They didn’t have such a long range forecast as us though so I hope I didn’t depress them too much when I gave them the weather.   

They said they had seen a whole family of whales yesterday and then radioed up later today to say they had just seen some more.  So they are out there but we just never see them.  Maybe I was too engrossed in the Hello magazine someone gave me to spot them.  I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed gossip!

Position at 2100h UTC Tuesday 19^th July 2012

43˚00N

25˚08W

SOG/COG:          042˚T / 5.8kts

Wind:                 280˚T / 12 kts