Atlantic at sea, 22nd May 2010. 36.32:26N 044.02.79W

Date 22 May Time 11:22 boat time

Hello from Tioram

Sailing over the last 24 hours has been splendid. The strongest winds of yesterday continued through to 8:00pm when Tioram’s average boat speed was well over 7 knots with a top of over 9 knots. We passed another yacht on the starboard side last night and even though we were just over a mile away we could not raise them on the radio. The wind began to veer over night and drop so this morning we put up the crusing chute and then spinnaker to keep the speed over 6 knots. The weather was very much on the forecast we have. After the very blue skies of yesterday the sky has begun to cloud over as we drift into the cold front. With the good wind of the last two days we now have 746 miles to go to Horta: about 5 days if we get good wind.

Life on board continues to be comfortable with yesterday being a shower and washing day. The conditions made drying easy.

The galley remains a great source of amusement. It is clear to us oldies, that is T & T and John, that we have thrown the gauntlet down to the younger crew to do their best. Malte was involved in a chicken lasagne last night and this morning John was greeted on rising by pancakes ala James. This was helpful to appease John as he commented that he must have tried to the noisiest spinny launch ever. We finished off the chocolate brownie cake last night following dinner. As dinner was a little late due to the skipper failing to wake the skip-ess, the cake was eaten in the dark. This morning however reveals that this was not such a good idea as quite a lot of cake seems  to have smeared itself around the cockpit. Sticky stuff cake. Tonight the oldies are retaliating with a John special for dinner for the best culinary prize

As on most voyages books are now finished although we have not resorted to silly games in the cockpit at night.

The Ula award goes to Malte for services to whipping despite yet again failing to get up on time: to explain he has been busy making the ends of the sheets tidy with a whipping.

Cheers from Tioram