Moving on

We're going to set sail today, but not too far; just round the corner to a sheltered anchorage. James wants to see if the water maker is now working and doesn't want to gunge up the membranes with marina oil and waste. The sun is shining and the airs are light - perfect day for it.

In other news, I've done about eighteen trips to the local superstore to stock up the last bits for the passage. We've got half the meat now in the freezer, including something special for James' birthday and Christmas dinner, and picked up some more emergency dry stores. It's all quite an effort when trips have to be made on foot with only what you can carry back and the store is a good mile and a half away. I've found that the local market is good for whole cheeses and trays of eggs so we'll try to get these next week. We'll also need around 200 apples(!), 30 onions and a load of other less-perishable veg such as carrots and cabbage. I promise not to let James attempt his infamous cabbage chilli though.

We've been told by race control that we now have two races over the weekend, one each day and both starting at noon, although they think the airs will be too light now to make Lisbon. Meanwhile, our friends from London on the sleek St Christopher are still in Brest waiting for a weather window to cross Biscay. Race control thin they may be there some time...