So far so good! Sunny with gentle trade winds blowing, calm sea. We're running with our light downwind trade rig: poled out jib, gennaker flying loose to leeward and four (yes, 4!) reefs in the main just for extra stability. Making 5 knots in 7 knots apparent wind and nothing more than a very gentle roll. You can tell we're happy! Even Cath is beginning to think it might last a day or two before it all goes pear shaped again. The 8 day forecast, though, shows it staying the same for the whole forecast period. There - I've gone and jinxed it! Hey ho.

PS: the non-yachters may think it odd that we seem to be tracking too far south. We're aiming for a point just north west of the Cape Verde Islands where it is traditional to make for, before turning across for the Caribbean. It gives you a better chance of staying in the trade wind belt all the way across.