Leg 4: 27th July

Position at 2100 local time, 27th July 2009, 45.45N, 43.17W

Today we were still on a high from Blue watch setting the top speed of 12.7 knots. This morning the banter started early with blue watch being the clowns of the crew. Today Blue watch was on mother watch and the breakfast consisted of pork burgers with beans and a pancake for each portion. Johnny Warring did the impossible by making perfect pancakes and flipping them whilst the boat rocked violently. After most of the crew had finished breakfast Rupert and Toyin provided some post-breakfast entertainment. Rupert was given the challenge of eating pork burgers in one go, and he successfully completed his challenge. Then Toyin repeated the challenge and then did one better by eating a pork burger with ketchup, sugar and some other eatable stuff the crew could find, which was then all wrapped up in a pancake. This was all captured on video ready to be uploaded when we reach our destination and no doubt it may find his was onto some social networking sites. All were surprised when he not only kept the concoction down but was not ill unlike the last mother watch he was on.

The 1000 mile mark was passed at 0749 with Ben on the helm, who refused to let go the helm until we had achieved the 1000 miles. Watch Officer Paul Steptoe (of white watch) set his watch the challenge of solving a rubix cube. The first person on his watch who solved the rubix cube would receive the grand prize of 9 pints when we arrive at our destination in Belfast. As you can imagine it went down a storm and the watch was straight onto the task and the rivalry between the watch members was amusing to the other watches, and some members of the other watches had started to place bets on who was going to succeed first and also if Paul was going to keep his promise about the prize.

Lunch was tomato soup and pasta with sauce, which went down a treat. After lunch Paul Steptoe got out his Guitar and we sang some songs, such as Yellow submarine, Fast car, Angels and American pie. Also in the galley Tom was baking 50 cookies which were to be served at the start of happy hour. When Happy hour came around Toms cookies went down a treat and we also did secret Santa on deck. The secret Santa event was well organized by mother watch and there was a cheer from the crew each time one of the crew reached in and pulled out a present. There was a massive cheer when some of the crew pulled out toy musical instruments and started to play them. Some other prizes were a pair of leopard print pants, a spider-man ball on a bat and a signed picture of Russell Watson.

Dinner was a lovely dish of Corned beef hash with peas and carrots, midway through serving dinner Rupert reminded us of his famous catchphrase 'I hate soup' which always makes the crew laugh as his catchphrase was always perfectly timed and brilliantly executed. For desert we were treated to tinned oranges and custard. After dinner Paul Steptoe took out his famous guitar and we sang a few songs before we went to bed.

Toyin Kimber-McCall AKA(T-Man)