Abraxas - 16/12/13 less than 24hours to go

ETA remains the same as yesterday, early hours of Tuesday am.  We are currently cruising at 7knots over the ground in approx 25knots of wind having just passed through a squall producing winds of ore than 30knots.  Gary and Karen are doing the washing up whilst Paul and Drew are recovering from their respective evening watches.  Igor as always is busy reading a typing up his own personal account of the voyage – I do not know how he manages in the bow cabin with all that bouncing around.  As I type, we are 51nm NE of Barbados and 116nm off St St Lucia.  The Raymarine auto pilot, who has now become known as the seventh member of the crew, Ray is at the helm whilst the squall pass.  He is a steady hand and never looses concentration like we all do eventually.  Yesterday was an amazing day for sailing, with excellent swell to surf on in the 20 knots or so of breeze.  We all realise how fortunate we are to have had such constant and predictable winds since the trade winds properly kicked in.  the only real damage that the boat has suffered is a cosmetically damaged headsail when the foot of the sail has caught slightly as we have gybed and caught on the kite pole or similar.  i do not want to speak to early  but this is remarkable given that she has been up for the past 2,800nm or so! there are no boats around us although we expect to start seeing some some as the fleet of more than 200 boats start to reconverge as we begin our final approaches to St Lucia.  will blog again later when land is in sight. Nick and Abraxas team