Mark and Jason departed the boat in St Lucia and had flights back to the UK on Tuesday. Although we looked for a third crew member, we were unable to find somebody suitable and thus Dylan and I decided to depart on the Monday with just the two of us on board. It is quite tiring keeping a 24 hour watch, but we are managing quite well.

The route we are taking has been from St Lucia directly to the Mona Passage, via the passage to the northern coast of Hispaniola and along past Great Inagua Island to the Old Bahamas Passage into the Straits of Florida and up past Miami to Fort Lauderdale, a trip of just over 1300 nautical miles.

We have been doing quite well being assisted at times with up to about 2 knots of current. At our present rate, we should make it to Fort Lauderdale late on Tuesday evening or early on Wednesday morning. But, as the saying goes, "don't count your chickens before the eggs are hatched"!

Dylan has been kept busy on his daytime watch, with both fishing lines out and catching quite a few Dorado, which he is cleaning and freezing in the boats chest freezer. I think there are already six or seven of the fish there. Otherwise the routine is sleep, eat and stand watch - all quite boring.

As we now approach Great Inagua Island and then pass Cuba up the Old Bahamas Channel, I bid you well from both Dylan and myself, John.