1400 GMT

09 02N 051 38W  

It was one of those perfect nights at sea. The new moon had just set and the stars shone brightly from a clear black sky. I was in my usual position, standing braced in the cockpit with elbows on the dodger gazing into the distance. What was unusual was the Brown Noddy perched unsteadily next to my right arm. It gripped the edge of the solar panel, used it tail as a sort of wind vane against the roll of the boat and winked at me. It’s amazing the ameliorating influence a dark night and the need for some rest can have on everyday prejudice and fears – even in birds, apparently. Yesterday, we finally escaped the periodic torrential rain and squally winds and entered that zone of blue skies and fluffy clouds so often associated with the trade winds. Boat speed was steady at 6.5 to 7 knots on a broad reach over long rolling crests on a constant course of 290T with the monitor wind vane driving – we played a round of runs and melds before wine and dinner.

This morning we just made bread and brownies and Andy landed a 20lb bull dorado – so fish for lunch and dinner and breakfast. He’s a happy man at last. All well on board with 622 miles to go to Grenada.