I sit with stinging eyes from the sun salt and sleep that has formed a lethal cocktail, and watch jimmy on the helm as he attempts to beat my SOG (speed over the ground) record, which is only 6.1 portraying the lack of wind we are currently experiencing after a night of reefed sails. The last few weeks (even months) are a blur of work, excitement and wonder at how fast this journey has come upon us. It does seem awhile since we left howth and encountered ‘hurricane biscay’ (as we like to call it), however at the same time the months flew by.

The lads arrived last Tuesday and a lot of work and organisation (as did the arc parties) allowed us to adapt a get to know each other, important considering we would be spending a month in close quarters together. Everyone gets on perfectly, and there are a number of different minds to calculate the different tasks and problems we will face on this journey together, all the same I doubt if there is any solution to the snoring chorus that john and liam erupt together each evening! As the last evening approached butterflies were swarming in the stomachs of many along ‘the wall’ (the area in las palmas were many of the arc boats were moored). The morning of the start dawned and the excitement was incredible, the air was filled will so much electricity it seemed we might cause lightning. After many last minute tasks we slipped our lines and headed out towards the start line. We wer met by astonishing crowds who lined the pier walls to wave us farewell and wish us well. We took a safe and easy start thanks to captainski and suddenly we had commenced our trip. Fluky winds saw a slow start, but the katabatic wind from the island soon put us on our ear and saw us put in a few reefs. The night was quite quickly passed with an incredible array of navigation lights from the two hundred yachts that looked like a line of candles on our horizons, already the fleet was well spread.

The day today was spent fixing our generator ‘jenny’, and enjoying Jim’s Caribbean chicken. Were are now doing a measly two knots of SOG, as the sun sets, but it’s a slight consulation to know the fleet in mainly in a similar fix, meaning were not losing any ground. Night 2 is approaching and all on blue fox are alive, well and happy

Dave 21/11/05