Leg 2 Day 7 : 500 miles to Cape Horn 50°32'12.6"S 65°02'42.7"W

By the time that you read this we will be 60 miles off the Falklands and heading for the Straits of the Maire between Tierra del Fuego and Staten Island - which is a short hop, just 100 miles, from Cape Horn. If there were background music on deck right now it would probably be the very faint sound of the Jaws signature tune just over the horizon. And the tension - although masked by more than the usual dose of ribald humour (it must be something in the food) - is twofold. Firstly, we are fast approaching a key tactical moment in the leg; the Straits of the Maire form a tidal gate which could propel us away from our pursuers or rein us back as anyone in front plunges straight for the Horn and those behind make fast gains on our lead. It all depends on when we get there... and in what order. We are currently lying third, although this is changing constantly, and of course we hope to reach the Straits with the strong tide aiding us. It will be a mountainous challenge to claw back the distance if this does not go our way, and we are doing everything in our power to give ourselves the best chance. Emotions are also bubbling away - firstly excitement - because here we are, just two days off the Cape, and this is what we came for. It looks set to live up to its cruel reputation. Put simply, we are expecting a gale late Saturday as a dress rehearsal, then a day's respite (just long enough for us to take our weekly shower and get clean for our celebration), before, right on cue, another gale hits us full in the face as we turn right at the bottom of South America. The albatross are getting bigger, we are nearly there... The Watch As we approach the Horn I should probably introduce those on my 'watch' - apologies for not doing this before - and I am sure that John will introduce the other half of the crew tomorrow. Our watch: 'Cop' (David Pugh) - watch leader and head helm (very dodgy Bjorn Borg hairdo right now, boat's bosun) Chris (Christian Talpo) - No 1 at the bow, head trimmer, mainsheet apprentice (a coffee perfectionist - being Italian - and style assistant to the crew) Rich (Richard Wardley) - No 2 at the bow, second trimmer (always but always says please and thank you! Techy expert) Giles Mackey (BP Crew) - No 3 in bow team, snakepit apprentice (as we speak baking bread for the first time - we'll let you know how it goes) John Stewart - No 4 in bow team, mainsheet boss (best spinnaker packer in the west, accommodation boss for port) Major Malhi - No 5 in bow team (curry genius, best porridge award, entertainments officer) Naomi Cudmore - snakepit boss, helm (on-board scribe, hygiene police & in charge of all cosmetic purchasing) Jane Cook - helm, trimmer (Delia of the boat, head of all consumables, menus and snack disputes) Andrew Smith - navigator, helm (the 'Michael Fish' of our watch) Naomi Cudmore