43o05N 58o04W

Well if company was what we wanted on this penultimate leg then company is what we've got. Most of the fleet are within a couple of miles of each other and only SAIC La Jolla have separated from the pack to head south. For the most part we don't need the six-hourly position reports - we can see most of the other yachts on the radar. It does make a change from weeks at sea without seeing anyone, often anything, but with the race so close we'd prefer some pick-up in the wind to allow us to split from the pack and get ahead.

Today has been very foggy with little or no wind and the oh-so-familiar glassy sea. We plough on making sure that every base is covered, focused helm, alert trimmers and best weight distribution i.e. everyone on the low side and it is paying off. We have been creeping away from the other yachts, if only very slightly. It is light until about 9:30pm and as we sailed through the mist we caught sight of the top of Spirit of Sark's mast looking like a lost ghost ship. We caught and passed them but they disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared. But we could still hear them talking on deck - it was very eerie. Later, as we tacked, they appeared again, now dark they flashed their torches at us and we returned fire. Their mast lights more visible in the fog they remained in sight until the end of the watch but have once again vanished from sight if not the radar screen.

While not much fun for us these conditions are suiting those who have chosen to cross the Atlantic under their own power. On Tuesday we received this e-mail from Race HQ:

Dear Fleet
Olly Hicks in his rowing boat Virgin Atlantic (last posn 1430 = 20/06/2005) is listening out on channel 16 VHF hoping to speak to any yachts in our Fleet as it is very lonely out there on your own. He would dearly love to talk to someone. See what you can do. I will be updating you with the rowing boat fleets posn later today.

Many thanks all you VHF Hams
Lisa Marie
Duty Race Officer

In the early hours of yesterday we could hear Stuart, the skipper on Barclays Adventurer, talking to Olly and he sounded grateful for the chat. Rowing across the Atlantic is one way I thought I could top the Global Challenge and it is something I have been planning even before this race. It was great to hear someone actually doing it and it has heightened my interest to pursue it when I get back in July.

Good luck Olly, we've only got enough food for 14 days so if we don't get some wind soon we may need to borrow your oars and I might have to start my training early.