We slid gracefully from our berth at 12:15 just a call of ‘break a leg’ from our Norwegian neighbour marking our momentous departure.  No fuss, a simple manoeuvre (belying the clenched buttocks that such moves always create in the person at the helm as they glide by within inches of millions of pounds worth of boats)and we are on our way.

We have had twenty four hours of grey hazy skies, rolly seas with gloomy waves wandering by like a herd of bison where there is always one or two who cut up everyone else and cause chaotic regrouping.  It is actually more like the Solent on a Decembers day than somewhere just off Africa. 

The mish mash waves are not being kind to a sleep deprived crew who are trying to find their sea legs, not to mention their sea stomachs. What is the best sleep position when you are being constantly rolled around in random directions? The foetal position is too round, the recovery position not bad but flat on your back is the best for stability and resounding snoring.  Cooking with the turbulence is interesting and I haven't dared tell the crew that when I opened the oven the pizzas shot out onto the floor, fortunately crust side down so no one could tell.

The wind is good though.  After an initial silly wind that flustered around not being able to make up its mind where it wanted to go it is has settled nicely into a steady 18 to 20 knots with the occasional gusts of 30 sending the crew into a frenzy of reefing.  We are toodling along at over 6 knots so making steady progress, 135 miles under our belts and 685 miles to go towards the Cape Verde islands.