Good morning everyone! and what a fine morning too after a slow night we are cruising along like a bat out of hell at speed of 10 knots! With fairly flat seas and 25 knots of breeze it’s not hard to see why. The thriller is that as we approach Cape Horn from the south big winds are approaching from the west so it is currently a race to get there before it does. James keeps yelling ‘Don’t stop me now’ and we can see why because who wants to go round the horn in 40knots of breeze. The downside to this is that for a second time Elinca will not be stopping at the Horn so for now Cliggy and Clare will be the only ones with Cape Horn stamps in their passports.
I other news we are officially on our way home, every mile is one closer to Falmouth and some of us can hear London calling. On re-crossing the convergence zone birds have flocked back behind the boat. Little fairy prions, albatross and cape petrels have been zooming around, in between waves, spray and flying on a highway to the danger zone (especially when they get close to the wind generator). Some of you might remember that the convergence zone is when the warm water of the north and the cold water of the south come together. This should mean that the boat is getting warmer but try and tell that to my toes.
On the final count down to Ushuaia things have started going a little haywire, the speedo has stopped working, so has the electric compass and also the deck speakers. This does mean that our resident mechanic Jon Seddon will be feeling a whole lotta love when he gets back from his travels in South America.
Hope everyone is well
Nick
PS can you spot all the song names in the blog? post how many you can find 🙂
adventure2013 
I’ve managed to find 5 but guess there must be more than that. Great blog as ever Nick. How’s the baking?
Must have been a mis-spent youth. Most of the titles are from the 1970’s!
Can we add well loved radio programmes?
“Don’t panic” “What if this storm ends?” Can you travel at the “speed of sound” and make it to Cape Horn without sending an “SOS” ! Hope those on the Antarctic trip enjoyed “paradise” and had the “time of your life”!
Paula i made it 5 as well, but there was a line in there also from a dodgy top gun song, so maybe 6. Need to get Nick to give us the final scores.
Music is not my big thing but I think I can see seven! Enjoyed every single second of your Antarctic adventures brought home so descriptively in your wonderful blogs. Hope you have as much fun on the homeward legs. Happy sailing stay safe.
Mmmm, perhaps I might stay up north for a few more weeks. My Spanish could do with another week of practice and tonight’s steak and salad was very tasty.
so I reckon
Bat out of hell
Don’t stop me now
Whole lotta love
London Calling
On a highway
plus Round the Horn (remember Jules and Sandy?) for well loved radio prog
Couple more for the list, Thriller and Final Countdown
Seven – but don’t tell the Chairman we had a tea break to work it out !
The Arco Stalkers !
Actually, Nick, I will come back to fix the electroics that you’ve broken. Unfortunately this means that I probably won’t have time to unblock the pipe on the starboard head and so I’ll have to leave this for you. It’s been brewing for two months now and so it could get a little messy. What size gloves should I get you?