Saturday 8th December 2012
1200hrs GMT (9th December) - miles in last 24 hrs - 180
POSITION - 15' 27 N , 050' 5 W
We're all pretty tired and morose. The weather is awful, squall after squall running through gusting up to 35 knots. Morale is low - everything and everbody is wet and damp and we're still having to use our oilskins through the night - this was not part of the plan...... In daylight we further assess the damage and secure and tidy things as best we can. Some wee dolphins come to cheer us up at mid-day but we spend most of the time down below sheltering from the squalls. The sun comes out in the afternoon and Nathan fries - he forgets to put suntan cream on......"mad dogs and Englishmen" - lobster colour!
We settle down for our night watches and brace ourselves for more squalls which continue throughout the night. Ian, Gordon, Nathan and Ronnie helming 1.5 hour shifts, Frank and Annie on 3 hour support watches. There are torrential downpours throughout the night - thankfully the boat if fully watertight so no leaks. No-one getting enough sleep. Roll on St Lucia.