June 9th 2000GMT

24 52N 061 28W

Last night saw changeable light winds and we all had to adjust the wind vane steering almost continually during our watches. This made our 6 man crew invaluable as 2 people were on watch at a time doing 1/2 an hour on the vane and having 1/2 an hour off for the 3 hour watches. This is very luxurious compared the 3 hours on 3 hours off that we do when on our own.

The light winds settled and increased by morning bringing us back up to over 5 knots. After noon saw a drop in wind speed and a change of direction allowing us to turn from our more Northerly track onto a course of around 68 degrees magnetic and head straight towards the Azores.

Wall to wall sunshine keeps the sea colour a deep transluscent blue and the sky a lighter shade of the same. We have had 3 White tailed Tropic birds circling the boat yesterday evening which was a beautiful sight and cheered everyone up as they chirupped away deciding whether to land and take an unusual chance of a rest while 300 miles from any land. We are also seeing ocassion petrels which seem far too small to survive so far out.

All is well on board.