“Having enjoyed breakfast at the Fastnet Rock, we are now enjoying a spinnaker lunch as we head straight for the Scilly Isles. With 110 miles to go and keeping our boat speed in double figures we were all happy, that was until a slight bump at 15 knots and a huge rushing of air into the keel box. Everyone jumped up and Joff and I ran to check the keel.

Tick the box it was still there, perhaps we have hit something and crushed the front fairing plate, endoscope went down to check underneath.”

Meanwhile on deck, cool calm Brian suggested we sock the spinnaker and get the boat going in reverse, so anything wrapped round our keel could get free and float away. A few minutes of struggling with huge acres of sail cloth and we were moving backwards, far from ideal but the guys saw something float free and before we knew it all was well and we were back up to speed with all guns blazing and no nasty noises.

It just goes to show how much rubbish there is in our oceans and also how some rational thinking and a small sacrifice can reaps huge rewards. Scilly Isles, here we come!!

Dee and Team Aviva”

Diary received today at 1245hrs BST

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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 11 August 2009 )