Today is April Fool's Day. Given that we've still been bashing through head seas, and it's cold and wet, nothing could be more apt. After eating virtually nothing yesterday, today I've been having a few more nibbles, as well as a tuna fish lunch.

By midday the wind has dropped by 10 knots, and we've managed to increase our speed to around 15 knots, so making much better progress than we were. Spirit of Cardiff weatherman Bertie reckons we're through the worst of it, and if we head further west into the Atlantic, we'll pick up a northerly which will be with us for the rest of the day.

So Alan reckons about Tuesday lunchtime for Spain. As my eyes raise in eager anticipation of sunshine and warmth, he adds "northern Spain".

Today more than yesterday has been very much a day for starting to get used to daily life onboard. Even the old hands haven't been together on the boat since last year's Atlantic crossing, so it's about getting used to it all over again.

As for me, the most land-lubberly of all the crew members, that manifests itself in the indelicate problems of trying to go to the toilet when something in your mind is telling your bladder it's bad form to try and hit a moving target from a moving platform. Oh for a loo that's firmly nailed to the ground!.

But as the wind comes round and Spirit of Cardiff picks up speed - up to 20 knots - we end the day roughly halfway across the Bay of Biscay. What's more, the temperature's definitely creeping upwards, so it may soon be time to bring out the shorts!

Clive Tully

Copyright Clive Tully ©2002
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