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.

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