Slow going on leg 3

After a very busy stop in Barra we managed to get to the start line in time! As we motored out to the start through a glassy smooth harbour it was very obvious that it was going to be a long slow night. With zero wind the tide took us across the start at 02:40. I took the first shift and after a very busy night chasing and trying to make use of every small breath of wind a steady breeze filled from the east at about 7 am. There were 2 boats that got the breeze first and took off, then it was our turn. We chased the boats in light airs to Barra head, hoisted the spinnaker and the drag race commenced.

The effect of the past few days caught up with me at that point. I think it was a serious lack of sleep mixed with little food and quite a lot of stress trying to get the boat fixed that made me ill. It didn`t feel like sea sickness but something rendered me useless for the next 12 hours. Luckily Dad was in a better state than me so kept watch all day whilst I lay down feeling like death!

After 2 lots of 3 hours sleep (actually 2 lots of 3 hours dozing for 5 minutes then waking with then next noise etc etc) I now feel back on top and we have been gradually making up ground previously lost.

This leg is so far not really going our way. In basics it is a downwind leg for 480 miles. From a tactical point of view the options are very limited. Hoist the biggest bit of cloth you have and keep going. Unfortunately some of the other boats have bigger bits of cloth so are enjoying a big advantage..... It may however change as the wind shifts to the North later. Who knows?

For now though we`ll keep on fighting, keep making the most of the large atlantic swell to get the occasional surf and increase our boat speed, keep looking out for the occasional passing whale, dolphin and puffin and of course keep smiling........