It's a bit of a drag race out here at the moment. All of us screaming along at courses anywhere from 195 to 215 degrees, under white sails of varying sizes (two big triangular sails at the front), straight lining to Uruguay. I imagine things will start to get more interesting in the next couple of days as the wind backs from the ESE we are experiencing now to NE. This will mean flat boats (big sigh of relief), spinnakers, and more tactical choices as to when/where to gybe. For non-sailing folk, you can't sail directly away from the wind so you have to zig zag aka gybe. We are looking forward to it and hoping for good strong winds for our trusty Code 3 (heavyweight spinnaker) please :)

There's a definite change in atmosphere onboard now, as we near the finish line, a combination of sadness and excitement. I remember my good friends, Boogie and Marlies, telling me about this on my first Atlantic crossing and it happens every time. For some of the crew, Uruguay means the bitter sweet end to their adventure, and for most of us it means saying goodbye to seven new and dear friends, Tom Weight, Oscar Mitra, Cam Bailey, Oli Micklethwaite-Howe, Erik Ferm , Mash (Tomasz Wietecha) and Will Stokely.

We spend the whole time trying to get to our destination as fast as possible, (so excited for steak, wine, steak, wine, steak, wine, salad, shower, DRY bed sheets, being clean, family, friends, loved ones, kids) and yet we don't want to arrive at the same time. For the seven departing in Punta del Este, arriving means back to reality; home, mortgages, bills, complications, obligations, responsibilities. Yet, life onboard is so simple. There is a rota to tell you what your jobs are every day, you are handed your food in a bowl for every meal, you are advised on what to wear every time you wake up, you don't even need to set an alarm because someone will wake you. Every four hours you achieve something remarkable, sailing a 70-foot yacht across the Atlantic with style. Sailing in one of the most beautiful settings in the world, under a canopy of stars, or the beaming sun and bluest of blue seas, or the big bright moon, and you can go to bed satisfied and fulfilled at least three times every 24 hours. Hmmm I might be giving away how much I love being at sea here...!

So, with the mixed emotions onboard, we are focusing on trying to look out for each other more than ever. Making sure that the last week or so is special and that everyone gets out of the experience what they wanted is our priority. Fast sailing is also happening, of course, but we are fully aware that the Clipper Race is more than just a yacht race.

Sailing with style - Nik