Running out of things to say about our slightly protracted stay in this bay. Guess you're possibly wishing we'd just get on with it too!

The winds have eased a bit which should help. The reasonably strong northerlies did funnel ice into the entrance to Peel Sound. The good news is that beyond there the ice does seem to be clearing.

We could pop over to Resolute (about 55 miles away), which is currently ice-free, but it really doesn't sound a place to hang about. Last year the yacht Fiona was forced onto the beach by ice. Also if we went now we'd get there late tonight and the shops aren't open at all on Sunday and buying a gas cylinder & stocking up on fresh food would be the only reason to go there. Finally, Mathieu Bonnier the rower, who's there now isn't really selling it as a tourist destination.

My guess and hope is that there will be an opening up in the ice either in tonight or tomorrow's reposts and we will set off direct to have a go at Peel Sound and bypass Resolute altogether in the next 24-36 hours.

When we do set off, it's going to be a bit of a shock to the system after all our time here.

Andrew and I have finally tick off a few jobs on the to do list. One involved me going up the mast to change the mast-head navigation light fitting that I'd brought out from the UK. I have to admit that I had a slight wobble half way up at he cross trees when I lost my nerve a little. Fortunately I managed to conquer those particular little demons & carry on to compete the task. Once it starts getting a little darker for a few hours soon we will be all lit up to show the seals and polar bears which direction we are travelling in, cos there's not a lot of other ship traffic to see our lights. Was a relief to get back down and be rewarded with a seat by the fire and a slice of flapjack.

I take my hat of to the likes of Ellen McArthur who did that single handed mid-ocean on a much taller mast where the pitching movements of the boat would be greatly exaggerated at the mast head. Maire told the story of Dee Caffrey who also did this alone and the climbing gear left her stranded at up aloft, being thrown about sustaining broken ribs. Tough cookies.

I was going to ask those with access to Wikipedia to settle a mild dispute about the name of the Irishman who led Chile's navy but from the depths of nowhere I dredged up the name Bernardo O'Higgins that we all agreed was probably the chap.

Tonight Maire has said that I must learn how to play Senandoah on the accordion. I've have tried to tell her that I am tone deaf lost cause but the music teacher in her insists. Possibly this is a more scary thought than me with a rifle. At least you're far enough away that you won't have to suffer listening to this.

This afternoon's ice report shows a definite improvement. Hints of being able to get into Peel Sound. Our impression is that that we're not dealing with new influxes of new ice supplies from Wellington Channel etc. Rather the northerly winds have been compressing what is there but that the total quantity of ice is reducing.

Our provisional plan would be to set off tomorrow morning with the intention of being in a position to be approaching the ice in time for tomorrow's ice report and make a decision about whether to proceed or not.

NB Please note that once we do get underway it isn't always easy to type an update, get a satellite signal etc so do NOT panic if there isn't always an update!