July 21st 1140 GMT

51 57N 006 37W

At 0600 yesterday morning the wind filled in and we were sailing at last, 6 – 7 knots on a broad reach with Fastnet rock light winking away to port  and Clear island just visible on the grey horizon. As the morning progressed the wind played with us rising and then falling and causing some frustration. However, by midday it had settled down into the SW and we were roaring along at up to 8.5 knots down wind towards OLd Head just off Kinsale. The crew had a ball surfing the overfalls off the point and by 1600 we were alongside the fuel dock at Castlepark marina. We took on 155l of fuel, had a pint of Guinness and some fish and chips and then sat around debating what time to leave in order to catch the new flood tide at Tuscar rock, the turning point up into the Irish sea 90 nm further down the track. We finally settled on a midnight departure when a hazing moon saw us motoring back down the inlet and out into the SW approaches. It’s now midday and we have 25 miles to run to Tuscar so we’ll be a bit early but that’s no bad thing with a forecast of lightening winds in the Irish sea tomorrow. Everyone is both eagerly anticipating our arrival and mourning the fact that the voyage will be coming to an end. All well on board