We've seen a few boats heading back to Europe from the Caribbean but most at some distance. This morning though we had a close encounter with French Kiss who are heading to the Azores. We passed 200 feet to windward of them, barely visible in the heavy fog that's been with us since dawn.

It's been challenging routing our way across, trying to find enough but not too much wind. We've come quite far north to get around the top of the Azores high - an area of little or no wind in the middle of the Atlantic - and, except for a couple of light spells, have had some great sailing. Apart from the storm sails, we've used every one of the 7 sails on board since leaving.

Now still in thick fog and a light drizzle, we have 18 knots on the quarter and, at Porge's urging, about to get the spinnaker up again. We're heading due east some 300 miles SW of the Azores. We'll stay at around this latitude for the four days until we head SE on the final 300 mile run into Madeira. 930 miles to run and ETA remains some time on the 26th.

Thank you for the comments and emails re Ma. We will celebrate her life - and quite a life it was - with a large whisky or two as soon as we are on dry land.