Position 29 57.70N 50 56.6W

Sunday 17^th May

Slightly disappointing progress over the last 24 hours. The low pushed us  further south than we’d hoped, partly as the ideal direction made for a horrible motion. At nightfall, we gybed and turned to the north, but again the sea stat made progress difficult. At this time the rain arrived, with some accompanying rather pretty lightening displays just to relieve the tension. Anyway, daybreak brought another day, the wind backed as planned, and Irie’s now surging along with the Azores on her nose, though still well over a thousand miles to go. The next trick is to plan the route from here on, bearing in mind that there’s likely to be very little wind for the last leg – still, you never know, stranger things have happened etc etc. Herb’s still doing his stuff, though atmospheric conditions make the contact a little variable. He’s talking to a number of boats, some of them within a undred miles or so of hia position and we’re able to give them a shout and find out what’s going on around them – parties, cinema and so on. Its nearly time for Herb now, and then it must be time for a nap now with a couple of night watches to come and a rather disturbed sleep pattern behind. Night night.

Knot of the day: Rope ladder knot  Nautical term: Hope in Heaven