In a holding pattern

Hamish Hooper blogs from on board CAMPER

Another day of straight line sailing over blue water surrounded by blue sky trying to put miles on a blue boat and trying to catch another black one.

Miles here miles there, its really just been a bit of a holding day really, in that we seem to just be poised for the slightest opportunity to sneak around Puma. It’s always hard though, to be fully focused in on the boat ahead, but then keep having to glance over your shoulder as well to worry about what the boats behind you are doing. But the only thing you really can do is just keep moving forward at whatever speed you can.

The guys all seem pretty happy with where we are approaching the last 500 miles of the leg. The miles ahead look to be fraught with danger and pitfalls, so I am sure there will be a severe lack of sleep coming up for everyone as the light air frenzy begins.

We have just passed the Turks and Caicos Islands, which have been a significant waypoint before the final stretch toward Miami. Will Oxley has taken us on a southerly course to tuck in quite close to the chain of islands in the hope of picking up a few hints of thermal breeze. We are hoping this will see a few good gains, but I’m never one to count chickens before eggs. – Or question which came first for that matter… they both taste so good.

The last few days have been quite cool which has been very nice, but the temperatures ramped up again in the last 24 hours.

Damp shoes are now dried out and being worn again, which is a good thing because the deck is too hot to wear just bare feet.

Unfortunately the damp moldy stench has not dried with them that still lingers thick in the air.

A few of us had one of life rare firsts at sunset, without a cloud in the sky as the sunset below the horizon we actually saw the green flash! Well actually we came to the conclusion that it is more a green pulse than a flash. It was one of those moments when you weren’t quite sure if you were seeing things but we all sort of paused and turned to each other to say, ‘did you just see what I saw?’ It was remarkable.

A sign of good things to come we hope…

The moon is still massive.

GOLDEN QUOTE: “An interesting game is being played out right now. We are literally island hopping in the Bahamas picking up local sea breezes trying to get every morsel of breeze that is on hand.” CHRIS NICHOLSON