Date12 December 2005

Position06:41N 030.02W

Today is very hot but clear skies and a light breeze. Kemp Sails gave me a gennaker, which is like a spinnaker but flown when the wind is coming from the front and side of the boat rather than from the back. I am making about 3 knots sometimes 4 in about 6-8 knots of wind so not bad. The sail is a perfect fit – we didn’t know that it would fit the boat and I didn’t have a suitable opportunity to find out before I left. Great colours – turquoise and navy with white. It doesn’t have a sock so a bit of a contortionist act to get it down – I take the sheet to the mast then pull in and lower the halyard simultaneously picking my moments when the wind drops a bit.

I am reading Jeremy Clarkson’s book at the moment – very amusing. I am going to run out of reading material at this rate! But I really enjoy escaping into a book – it breaks up the grind of keeping the boat tramping along.

It is so hot here – but I will think back with envy to this when I am freezing deep in the Southern Ocean going round the Horn.

I am about 350 miles to the Equator which will mark a significant milestone for me – psychologically, the equator will be 25 per cent towards the Bering Strait – in terms of mileage it isn’t quite that but nevertheless, when I get there it will be a big boost for me.

Presently I am trying to go due south down longitude 30W.