This involved removing the backstay and a team of five trying to stretch the slings so that they would fit the shackles. To us it seemed the lifting bars were perilously close to the boom and the shrouds at times. Umberto, the marina manager, in white t-shirt with back to camera, was mightily relieved when the boat was safely in the water.

The weather is well up to expectations with cloudless skies and warmth, somewhat different from the cool morning when we left the UK.

Our temperature gauge in the saloon yesterday at 15:37 pm. Today it was up to 34 degrees C at the same time.