With the start of leg eight only days away – Saturday 6 June at 15:00 BST – teams are turning their attention to weather patterns, sea breezes and coastal currents, as this next leg comprises predominantly of coastal sailing.

However, it would seem that Galway will be a hard port to leave for many crewmembers, who have enjoyed every minute. “We love it here,” commented il mostro/Puma skipper Ken Read. “We’re never going to leave!”

To see why, click here to see more images from Galway , courtesy of Pat O’Connor and Mike Edwardson.

For more images by Pat, visit www.patoconnor.org .