Race 12 - Day 11
Skipper Report
07 July

Good Morning folks,

The excitement is building onboard the good ship HotelPlanner.com as she seems to know her way towards Derry~Londonderry and only needs a whiff of more wind and she is off like a race horse in that direction again.

Everyone is keen to get there, crew are wrapped up warm for the night -time shifts where now the sky doesn't go properly dark, just a pale blue. Focus as always on trimming, helming and asking is this the best sail combination? This totally amazing crew keep doing all of the above with smiles on their faces, and all just want more.

Some cracking food from the galley yesterday from Simona and April, keeping the calorie intake up as it's chilly out there, a “soft” day. Sausages hot dogs and onions with chips and mushy peas!

We had an issue with our satellite communications equipment putting us in a blackout for the past 24 hours, unable to receive weather updates or where the fleet is. Now we can see everyone again, it seems we are doing ok. Each previous weather forecast that came in said we could sail through the developing high pressure, and then next would say we have to sail around it, we'll see.

Yesterday evening we had a visit from a US Navy Helicopter the pilot called us to request a low fly-by, I said yes of course and we all went on deck to give them a wave. Maéva (on board documentary filmmaker) has some footage of the helicopter and the pilot said they got photos of us and will share by email, Wendo I also gave him your email (just in case).

Thanks for reading folks, see you all very soon, Conall