Spatchcock and socks

44*40N 08*45W

We had a reasonable night, but it has been northerly since 0420,but we are making reasonble progress, with part of the day heading for Ushant, although now we have been headed off as the wind starts to veer. Hopefully it will get into the NE to allow us to head N to join the sw winds! We shall see.

I have been really tired, just managing to see out my watches, but Smon and Jane are great.On reflection, having arrived in Vigo exhausted, and then only being able to sleep for 45 minutes occassionally, wondering how to get Infanta home, looking into transportation but with the looming prospect have having to face an Autumn passage across Biscay to get back has all left me worn down.

However, we are on our way, and alls going well.

I did a bit of shopping in Vigo for the trip, and with Simon in mind, or Imelda as he is now known due to the number of pairs of shoes he brought, ranging from seaboots to flipflops, I bought a number of cases of beer, 12 x 33cl tins for e3.09. I also found a chicken to roast for lunch on Sunday (today) which I would be able to promote to Simon and Jane as road kill. The chicken had been flattened out for some reason. That was all very humourous, and Jane has just made a great roast chicken spatchcock lunch for us.

I was photographed once at a press conference in Japan and the caption in the Times was along the lines that Blackman had lost the plot as he had no socks on. This was a relief for family and friends to see, as they realised the opposite was the case. Today, in a Northerly, in the Bay of Biscay, I have had to put on a pair of socks which, due to Infantas Odyssey, is the first time since April 2008. Getting back to the real world (?)

Tim