Today’s very special. It’s our wedding anniversary, for which I am apparently (per GPS) 3316 nm away as the crow flies. I think she loves me but it’s a probably a bit tarnished as I have “abandoned” her to a contingent of ‘go slow’ builders.  However, I quote: “I think you are … wonderful…xxxxxx….”. So I am assuming I’m OK really!

Readers, I hope you will forgive me if I use this organ to profess my undying love for my sweetheart ,Tessa ,on the occasion of our 32 years together and a long courtship (such a lovely phrase) before that.  Xx32+…….

I am going to take the day off and have a shower and a shave (if I can coax the watermaker which took 8 goes yesterday). After all, I want to look my best!

I hand the Blog to Jock:

“We have been in the Trade winds proper for 2 days now – and what a change from the wind searching we were doing the 2 days prior. The sailing is special, to match the Russell’s special day!

We have had winds of 10-15, 13-18 and 18-23 knots. These different bands give us choices to make on the sail plan.

When the wind is in the lower end, its easy, as our best rig is the Parasail with sheeted in main. And the boat is then nicely balanced. If the main is too far out it seriously upsets the kite and if we lower the main we go slower.

As the wind rises we need to decide when to switch to poled out jib; above 18/20 knots the boat prefers this, it’s the bit in the middle that results in should we/shouldn’t we change sails discussion. Our sail changing is now, touch wood, reasonably slick, so we are handling this aspect much better.

This morning the breeze is definitely 20 knots plus so we have put a reef in the main to sit with the poled out jib. The boat has settled better with the reef and with less sail we are sailing with good speed 6/7 kts – and in a straighter line! So we are feeling good with the rig at the moment. The forecast is for the wind to stay stronger so we may stay with this rig until tomorrow.

The seas have built into a long wave action now so there is potential for endless surfing at the helm which is only possible with the protection from the sun afforded by the bimini. Its not quite like sailing in UK waters!

We have just had delicious toast for breakfast courtesy of Mike’s bread making. He really is moving into Egon Ronay class; his rosettes are in the post. It’s remarkable what he is producing from our little oven – so many thanks Mike.

And last night I shared my Desert Island Discs choices with Gerald and Mike. It was a pity that under the moonlit sky, bowling along at 6 to 7 knots, that they could not appreciate the subtleties of my Scottish, classical and eclectic mix. So what’s wrong with Kenneth McKellar and Andy Stewart’s White Heather Club!!.

Back to the sailing and sunshine.”

Well, he mentioned it first. I can tell you what's wrong and Mike and I definitely do not want to be on a desert island with Jock!

Jock - 'The Trade'  enjoying the helm                                                Spruced up to celebrate. It is actually alcohol free too!

My apologies for the first edition of yesterdays blog which had the wrong fundraising address in it. If you feel you would like to support my fundraising for children's charities then go to: www.justgiving.com/geraldrussell 

As I send this I see the ' 600 to go ' coming up - we're on the home stretch!

Bye for now