1200 miles from Barbados

and just sitting down to our Port aperitif when Juno called to advise that they had been hit by 40 knot gusts and had shredded their spinnaker when they broached!

Drinks down and all hands on deck to take down our spinnaker in rain and with black clouds descending, to swap to Staysail and Genoa.

Cup of tea later (1/2 hour in other words - just in time for the spinnaker to have been all wrapped up and stowed away, when wind dies away again and skipper decides it's safe to put spinnaker back up.

Chilli beans, rice and doritos for dinner. Disco on deck until midnight but guess the dolphins didn't approve of the taste in music as no sign of them tonight. However, lots of incredible shootng stars all night long.

By daybreak we have caught up Isis and are neck to neck, with us in a more favourable southerly position. Diana is now the one to watch - long way behind but deep south so could be interesting!

Laundry day - Charlotte lost her bikini bottoms to the wind!

Crew settling into watch patterns but still strugging with heat below deck and subsequent lack of sleep for some.

Victoria achieved a top speed so far of 16.2 knots !

Mum - good luck the hospital on Friday. Will be thinking of you x

Lots of love to all our families and friends.

Charlotte - team Minerva