With light winds Nimue is making slow progress to Barbados and only covered 135 miles yesterday, although we still hope to arrive around the 21^st  / 22^nd Dec. Although we are downloading GRIB weather files every other day to try and stay in the best wind, it is only blowing between 10-15 knots.

Anyway life on board is relaxed and the men have currently got their heads into good novels.  I have cleaned and sterilised the galley today and am now preparing tonight’s meal - Dizzy’s Dahl.  Today a couple of whale pods came close to Nimue, which brought some additional excitement and as usual we have seen dozens of flying fish darting around the ocean.

We start watches at 2100 hrs and each person does a 3.5 hr shift.  As half the day is dark here, we have all become aware of the celestial sky.  On first watch Orion’s belt looms over the horizon with Mintaka the brightest star in the middle, of course the name of Malcolm and Denise yacht. Shooting stars can been seen on all watches, but last watch sees the rising of the planet Venus, which is really bright and lights up the night sky and the sea.  Not forgetting the moon, this plays a very important role for us sailors. We are currently coming up to a full moon, which completely lights up the night sky and is very much like sailing in the daytime, with good visibility of the sea, clouds and horizon.  When the moon had waned, there is no light with little or no distinction between the sea and sky.

Anyway, it’s Friday night and its film night, so we’re just going to settle down with a cup of tea in the cockpit and see the last half of Michael McIntyre live.