Date7 February at 2251

PositionS 48° 10’/W 173° 49′

I think that now I have had chance to rest, I have finally realised how tired I am. Even muscles in my body are starting to relax and let me know that they have been used quite a lot.

The timing couldn’t be better as I approach that halfway point and that transition between the Pacific side of the Southern Ocean and the Indian side. It is almost as if I am being allowed to gather myself together during an interval, so that I can be ready for the second half.

Act two starts with the Indian Ocean and historically it is known for delivering the worst of the weather in the Southern Ocean, but after what I have just been through it will have to go some to deliver worse weather. The distance from Tasmania to the Cape of Good Hope is much smaller than the distance from Cape Horn to New Zealand so it feels psychologically more achievable.

I also had to have words with Aviva as I felt she was getting excited with this respite in the weather and possibly even felt she was heading back into the Atlantic. I had to warn her to enjoy the current weather but be prepared for more of the stormy stuff as we still had the second half of the Southern Ocean to go. The way she has speeded up makes me guess that she is quite keen to move to warmer climates again.

I am also able to do a thorough check of deck gear without having to get soaking wet in the process, which is a pleasant change. I am amazed at the good condition everything is in. A real credit to Aviva and the shore team that got her ready.

It is great to see a large land mass on the chart so near to where we are and we are also really close to crossing the date line, then it will become tomorrow already! For a change we will be ahead of the UK. As the longitude changes from west to east everything is showing us we are making progress to the west and long may it continue.

Dee and Aviva