Day4 Mon 14th june

Are we having fun yet? Days of being salt sprayed and Karin's hair has gone into dreadlock mode., but she is still smiling.

Am I dead yet? Emma being brave.

Karin and I did alternate shifts all night 2 hours on 2 off. Emma had at last been overtaken with sea sickness but was being quite brave and cheerful though would probably have quite cheerfully died given a choice.

Self steering lasted all night though by morning all the mountings for the ram had worked loose and required urgent repair and tightening. We achieved this and were rewarded with trouble free steering. The winds were consistently over 25 knots and the sea state suggested force 6 to 7. We continued under very reduced headsail (pocket handkerchief size) regularly touching 10 knots but usually 6 to 8 knots. We were suffering some amazing impacts from the confused cross seas, at times stopping us dead. Some solid water was making it onto the decks as well.

Customs flew over at about 12.00 hrs and we spoke to them relaying our details and destination and in return got a weather forecast that in no way reflected what was happening to us or what was to happen. They expected to chat to us tomorrow.

Emma is still ill but Karin and I are well and in a strange way enjoying the wind , waves, stars at night and frequent visits from pods of Dolphins.