38o55S 168o23E

When we set sail from Portsmouth back in October I received a card in which one person had written 'enjoy your cruise!' The message had obviously got confused somewhere along the line.

Thus far, however, Leg Three seems to be delivering the best of cruising life, with several small but crucial differences. For once we do not envy the cosy fireplaces of home, toasted crumpets dripping with Marmite and windows closed against the stormy weather. Here on BP Explorer we have everything we could wish for; the sun has beaten down all day, its heat tempered by a fair and constant breeze, sundrops bouncing off a gradually-building swell and promising a fantastic sunset which I will be off to enjoy as soon as I have fired this off into the ether.

Literally hundreds of dolphins escorted Cop's watch this morning as they chased hot on the heels of BG SPIRIT and those on deck were also lucky enough to spot seals and a shark - which we have tentatively identified as a Porbeagle.

We may not have gin and tonics and we are once again be on water restrictions due to a failure of a brass nut splitting in the high-pressure side of the water-maker, but we have enjoyed an escape from porridge and the precious addition of apples, bananas and caramel slices to our diet. Manna from Heaven! Luckily apples seem to be very tradeable and some of us now have a Curver box full of fruit. (A BIG, BIG thank you to Jane for remaining a dedicated member of the team and feeding us so well! We miss you. Xxx)

Meanwhile, our new BP Explorer crew members, Jo Henderson and Pieter Tol, are settling in well and providing us with a wealth of new things to talk about. Jo's question for the day whilst serving the dinner, for example, stimulated much highbrow and empassioned debate: 'You are in a room with a Black Mamba and you have been bitten. You have a gun with one bullet - what do you do.' After all, we were getting bored of the old 'Is a Jaffa cake a cake or a biscuit?' debate! Answers on a postcard please.

The racing, meanwhile, is the antithesis of relaxation. Positioning is the key concern as we begin to think about the approach to Sydney, negotiation of the currents we will encounter there and trying to outwit the rest of the fleet. There are two Aussie-skippered boats - BG SPIRIT and Samsung, the latter sporting a large inflatable kangaroo atop their radar just to enforce the point - so we know that our competition could not be more determined.

Almost the entire fleet is spread out along a relatively long line to north and south, with only three other yachts further south than us - Barclays Adventurer, SAIC La Jolla and Pindar. The relative distances to the finish, however, are negligible and the positions change by the hour. Living by the scheds has never been worse for one's health! The only option for mere mortals like myself is to trust in the tactics of David, Andrew and Stephen and trim and helm our hearts out. It may take concentration but it is no great hardship as the all-too-imminent prospect of a return to the furious fifties reminds us.

We are greatful for small mercies and we feel very, very lucky to be enjoying the view.