I am having a very busy day today. The boat has to be cleaned after its long passage. The salt from the sea has to be washed off. The decks have to be scrubbed, and the chrome and brass polished. At the end the boat was gleaming in the sunshine. Captain Dennis was so pleased he got out a huge Welsh Dragon flag and hoisted it from the front of the boat so that it was flying proudly in the wind.

When we were at sea we had lots of food to eat. Many friends had made meals and cakes for us to take on our journey and they were all delicious and I thought how kind people had been. On the boat was a big box full of different chocolates, biscuits, flapjacks, sweets, crisps; all the things that a bear likes when he is hungry, so I often visited that box to choose something nice. However the time has come when we need more food, so we are going to the market in Los Palmas. Well I have never been in such a market, there are stalls full of different fruit and vegetables of all shapes and colour. There are stalls selling fish some of which look quite scary with big eyes and teeth. Another stall is selling meat and it has lots of hams hanging from hooks. The people are busy buying many things, and I look forward to another good meal aboard Gwawr.

I am having a very good time in Gran Canaria. I have with my friend Cahill visited the house where Christopher Columbus stayed before setting sail to discover America. We have been to the top of a volcano and looked down at the big crater in the middle of it.

Two days ago I had a big surprise because we were joined by another crew member. His name is Mr. Urdd. Mr. Urdd has sailed many times along the coast of Wales and he has called in at many harbours and he knows a lot about sailing. However he has never sailed across the Atlantic and he is looking forward very much to the trip.

Cahill has made over 50 friends in Gran Canaria and he has been very busy introducing them to Mr. Urdd. His new friends like to hear about Wales and hearing Mr. Urdd and Cahill speaking the Welsh Language.

Tonight I am very excited because tomorrow we set sail to Saint Lucia. There will be more than two hundred boats all leaving at the same time.

We are now at sea sailing along the coast of Gran Canaria and heading in the direction of Cape Verde Islands. We had a very exciting send off, a large fireworks display last night, and this morning we had a colourful brass band marching along and playing music, there were also jugglers and people on stilts. I felt very emotional see them and then as our boat left it’s berth Mr. Urdd put on the music for the Welsh National Anthem and we all sang loudly, and people on the other boats cheered. I felt very emotional and had a great hiraeth for home..

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After sailing 18 hr

Position at 9.00 22/11/10

26 19'.91N 16 06' 32W

COG 229

SOG 6.7kn

Wind from the East 8-9kn

We still can see 12 boats around us after 119miles since the start of the race. Heading down to towards Cape Verdi before heading across the pond with the trades behind us.

No fish caught yet. but a lovely Sunday roast last night.