Leg 8 - race 12 - day 5 - Friday
Woke at 5.15am had a good nights sleep. Got dressed had a black coffee and up on deck for 6am it was sunny. Yippee sun glasses on. A nice dry watch until the last 10 minutes when a wave decided to drench us. Luckily I had my foulies on. Watch went quickly Carl helmed for most of it. Bob came up and told us we were in 12th place ! You could see the crews heads drop we have been working so hard. Matt came on deck and said he had done some calculations and it's not as bad as it looks we are in a strong position. Great to boast crew moral. Heard that the chap from ichorcoal had been lifted off by helicopter and was stable in a hospital now.
Came off watch at 10 had lunch rice and veg with salami . Re wrote the crew diaries and sent from nav station as the crew computer didn't work. The desil tank on port side was leaking so Carl helped Bob empty it and clean up the spill. Yucky job glad I wasn't sleeping in this bunk last time I was on the boat the tank beneath me leaked and ruined some of my things. The stand by watch went quickly. Off to my bunk at 2pm for my 4 hours off. Mind you I share Sophie's bunk so had her bunk which is really cosy with a blanket at the side so no one can see in. Watched a film bad neighbours 2 it was so funny made me laugh. Laid looking at photos for a while can't believe what Carl and I have done this year. It's been amazing and still not over. I could hear sophie laughing up on deck miss not being on her watch.
Couldn't sleep checked Sophie's email to see if Connor or Jodie had replied. Nothing yet laid back in my bunk for a while listening to music, thinking about the children. Really miss them and Freya and Joey. Got out of bunk at 5.10 had chicken curry for dinner then up on deck 5.45pm spent 15 mins chatting to sophie. During our 4 hour watch we covered 53 miles we were flying! Jimmy Carl and vitaly all took turns to helm. Got wet a few times by the waves but it was good fun. Carl told me to come and stand behind the helm station as you are really sheltered from the wind there. Couldn't believe how different it felt standing there especially in the dark. As we were so heeled over you could only see the clouds and stars to our starboard side it felt we were flying. Carl managed to get the boat speed to 18.3 knots I felt like I was on a magic carpet flying though the sky : a real wow factor and the stars were out, an amazing shift. Got into my bunk at 10.30 dozed off listening to music. Still so hot down below. We have covered a third of the miles towards Derry so could even be there in 10 days
302 miles covered speed 10.8- 16.4
Wind 22-41 knots