Back in the coffin in the pitch dark it was now liking riding the Cresta run, lying back wedged in the bunk as it accelerated and took off, flying through the air…..

Rob Hudson, crew, Atlantic Crossing 7 October 19.30 UTC

I’m afraid my blogs are becoming rather sleep fixated – this is no exception.

Yesterday was a long, slow slog into a headwind hoping for the forecast southerly to kick in during the night. I was on watch from 2200 to 2400, and the previous 4 hours had been hideous in the coffin – every three seconds being dropped from five feet on to a concrete floor. An icebreaker bow is very unforgiving in big waves on the nose. It was good to get up!

Mike came on at midnight and it looked as though the wind had freed a little (probably blowing 35+kts) and so we tried the staysail. We could just hold it and our course, and picked up 2 knots. The big benefit was to the motion as the wind freed.

Back in the coffin in the pitch dark it was now liking riding the Cresta run, lying back wedged in the bunk as it accelerated and took off, flying through the air to land smoothly on the next wave, and take off again and again in a crazy ride into the night. It reminded me of watching the flying fish skipping from crest to crest when I did the ARC+, except I was now the flying fish. Surreal!

Back on watch at 0800, and David, Mike and I put the main up with two reefs plus staysail, and we are now making some miles again. And the sun is shining. And David made porridge and coffee for when I got back below. Bliss!

I think I am a masochist!