The next few days will be interesting.  There is thought amongst the crew (not outwardly from the skipper) that Clipper may be considering shortening the race and getting boats to motor to Albany.  We have covered 11 nautical miles in the last three hours.  For those at the back of the fleet with 1200 miles to go even with the motor they are a week away from port.  I know that in the last race one boat arrived in the early hours and was turned around to race start midday that day but we can’t help think that unlikely as so many boats are impacted and it is a crew changeover port.  If that is the case we may get in on the 25th after all.  Fingers crossed.  Still, on a positive we are seeing some of the most beautiful sunrises, sunsets (this evening’s reminded me of
one of Karen’s paintings), night skies and glassy seas. Today we also got to
see a huge shoal of tuna leaping high out of the water but sadly no predator. Those sorts of things keep spirits high when the chocolate and Haribo is running low.

We managed to cross off a number of jobs from the to-do list today easing the work load as best we can in port.  I was on my hands and knees scrubbing a month’s worth of debris (M&Ms, biltong, apple, cigarette ash…) off the deck. Most satisfying and right to do something ‘active’ after a few dormant days.

I’m walking around a little sheepishly on this watch because I apparently
spent our last off watch wimpering and talking in my sleep.  The mothers whose luxury it is to have a full night’s sleep were apparently awake all night and the on watch took it in turns to see the animal in the zoo.  Not ideal and perhaps reflective of my current quality of sleep at times.

Tomorrow I have a covert operation in the 8-midnight watch to bake Vin a
birthday cake.  A couple of days ago I had to squirrel away some ingredients as supplies are getting low.  Amused to read in her crew diary today that she is half expecting one.

Have just been cleaning the diesel out of the engine bilges.  Beautiful.

Lucy xxx