Our penultimate full day at sea ( we hope) and other yachts are also converging on Barbados.

We saw maybe 6 yachts in 12 days then 4 in the last 24 hours.

Had our first tropical rainstorm this morning. Neil got up to take a cold and refreshing shower on deck but God turned the shower off just as he got there- apparently he hadn’t paid his global water rates.

At least the boat has been washed down.

We have actually just finished our 1100 l of water at the same time as the water maker stopped working so it is bottled water for 36 hrs and a freshen up by being towed behind the boat until our crew mates think we smell nice enough to allow back aboard.

We also had a mini drama this morning when the whisker pole that was holding the working jib out on a downwind coure suddenly snapped and folded in half. We retrieved it quickly before it did any damage swinging around then unscrewed the useful end parts and consigned the rest of the pole to the deep. It felt disconcerting to do so but it was dangerous to keep it on deck with its jagged edges.

We have been blessed with a fresher breeze last night and today so fuel and ETA concerns have lessened somewhat. We need to average 6K to arrive in time for lunch and flights home for the two ‘leggers’ Neil and Jane.

On Tuesday I have a rendezvous with the archive department in Barbados to find about some of Cara’s relatives - Her great grandfather was called Horatio  Nelson Straker and was born  Bridgetown 11 March 1883 another  ancestor Henrietta Lemon were buried St Mary's Church in the Parish of  St Michael in 1891 and she also wants to find out about a Lamonta Alberta Augusta. What wonderful names! If I had my time again maybe Horatio Nelson Coxon could be arranged, though don’t think somehow my dear mum would have agreed...

There is the beginnings of an air of anticipation aboard today. 250 miles to go and a romping good sail with the occasional burst of engine to top up the average speed is shrinking the mileage at last. We have sailed 93% of the journey from Gibraltar to Barbados via C.V. so we are feeling good. Neil has his big camera out, Janet, Jane and steve are ‘busy’ reading. Right now strangely skip is typing!

All well

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