There really is little to report out here except for the fact the wind has gone hard right lifting us up into quite a big head-sea. It is uncomfortable rather than boat breaking but the helmsman needs to be alert for the odd wave with no back to it.

It was a very dark night with no visible horizon which made it especially hard to helm accurately. Paul (aka Big Breeze) Willcox has settled into the crew well and seems to be enjoying himself. The lads are already winding him up about the equator crossing.

In the race Camper is using its extra height nicely to hold their strong position right of the fleet and Telefonica is speeding its way out of a slightly tricky position to the left. We seem to be going a bit better with our new mainsail and slightly different trim but still cannot quite match the pace of the leading three. The weather models are all over the place right now and the exit strategy through the Luzon Straits is far from clear so I suspect we may see some very different tactics leading to some opportunities over the next few days.

For now though it is just a question of once again bashing upwind and wondering about how great these last two legs would have been if we had sailed in the other direction!