The boat goes well and the skipper also. The boat structure has a wave-focusing physic into the cabin, when the bow pounds down, the cabin, after a slighly delay, sledgehammers up. This is what re-opened the rib problem a week ago, and did so again last night. Standing in the cabin watching the instruments, braced in every direction, the boat leapt off a wave and pounded down up forward. 1/2 second later, a sledgehammer shot was applied upward through my feet and skeleton, and I could actually feel the rib healing area tearing again. Mon dieu! Will it ever heal?!

Fortunately, we now have a beautiful day to sail, the boat is flying, the sky is blue, we are in awe of the power and speed of the boats ahead, and we are doing our best, with much less power in hull form, but we are doing our best.

I hope that Raphael can find a place to fix his halyard. On yesterday’s position report, I saw that he had gone past the anchorage at Isla Trindade, I’m sure it is terribly disappointing for him, I look forward to him being back on the race course, chasing us down again as he did up to the equator.