Day 57
The wind has increased to 24 knots. The boat is sailing close hauled and we are back to living on a steep angle. I have just had a shower and it was a tense few minutes, hanging on with one hand, holding the shower head with another, and soaping myself all at the same time. It is perhaps the most dangerous thing I have done for a while.
Because of the wind only essential washing is being done. When it is hung out it is liable to be doused with sea spray and there is the ever present danger of it blowing away. (Note the number of pegs used in the accompanying picture!)
Because the water temperature has dropped to 15°C the Standing Orders state that we have to wear life jackets at all times when in the cockpit. For the previous part of the journey we have only been wearing life jackets if it has been rough and we also wear them at night.
It was a lovely dawn today, cold again. I wore my boots for the first time. We had dolphins around the bow several times today. It was more a case of them finding us rather than we finding them. They seem to have such a sense of fun. They are very cheering.
I think we have only one more full day of sailing. Talk has turned to flights home, plans for Portugal and next adventures. I shall be sad to say goodbye to the team on the boat. We have had some good laughs together. I have never met a group of people who have laughed so much every day.

dawn1
the angle of our bunk
safe pegging