Tuesday 3rd August.

With the wind picking up the crew had higher spirits today and the prospect
of reaching the way point was starting to look possible! A hearty breakfast
of porridge cooked by Crush Watch helped as well, which was followed by an
amazing (if we say so ourselves!) pasta bake. There was a crew morale low at
the discovery that our last bag of sugar was, in fact, salt (blame
misleading Norwegian packaging), but the tea and coffee drinkers have
rallied through, with a renewed appreciation for Aero hot choc.

We put a couple of tacks in today which Dory and Nemo watch carried out
beautifully in racing style. This put us closer to the wind and right on
target for the way point, which is about parallel with Edinburgh. We'll head
south after the way point to reach Hartlepool hopefully by Friday or before.
We also found out we are the most southerly boat in the fleet and Skipper
heard on the radio that the other boats were very jealous about us. As if
this wasn't enough we are also moving the fastest!

We're starting to properly get into the swing of night watches, having now
been continuously at sea since Sunday lunchtime. Bunk and oily swapping and
plenty of hot chocolate and napping!

It's now one o'clock in the morning and Crush watch have just hardened up on
the wind and worked out if we keep up our speed it's going to be around 20
hours to the way point. We've just cracked open the Haribo and are looking
forward to a speedy "graveyard shift" J

Note from the skipper. This is a great crew who have now settled into the
routine of a long off shore passage. Everyone is pulling their weight and
the sailing is good despite being very frustrating with the wind coming from
exactly where we want to go.

We are beating up to windward and sailing well. We came through the Ekofisk
oilfield today and everyone found that their mobiles started to work again.
Some hope of peace and quiet.

N.B.

Nemo watch = Hannah (Watch Officer), Emily R. (Watch Leader), Lorna, Chloe,
Sam, Liz, Becca

Dory watch = Jenny (W.O.), Hazel (W.L.), Nic, Nikki, Steph, Clare, Lisa

Crush watch = Oly (W.O.), Lui (W.L.), Alice L., Alice K., Laura, Erin, Emily
W.