With calm seas and a very gentle following wind Simon rowed his row-locks off yesterday (I think that is what he said). It showed good results. So good that only Bexhill Challenger (four) rowed further. A tremendous achievement. 

Today the sea is still calm and the winds, though still fairly gentle, are pushing northwards. The para anchor might be going out until they move round again. Simon is thinking of putting his feet up, watching a film on his PC then going for a walk down the pub for a couple of beers (that last part may not be entirely accurate).

Now the not so good bits .. Simons dangly bits are still very sore and he is about to start on a second round of anti-biotics to stave off infection (don't think about it too much, especially close to meal-times). Although the satellite phone seems to be working OK, it took half an hour of fiddling about to get the charger to work today. Thank you for your concern, Cellhire. Any suggestions greatfully received.

 The scariest news of the week thankfully did not involve Simon but James and Jamie in Southern Cross. Following their spectacular capsize last week they sustained some damage to their AIS or, more likely, the antenna. Because the boats are small and made of wood and/or fibreglass they do not show up on ships' radar. Instead they all are fitted with an AIS unit which detects the radar signals, amplifies them and then sends them back. This makes the little boats appear as larger craft on the ships radar.

One night last week both James and Jamie were asleep in the cabin when they woke to find a bright light shining in through the cabin hatch. Goodness knows what they thought it was but it could not have been any worse than the truth. It was a large tanker, heading straight for them. Before they had time to do anything, it glided past, not more than 30 metres away, oblivious to them being there at all. In something as empty as the Indian Ocean that would have been horridly bad luck to have been hit.

The winds for the next few days should be gentle but going round in a circle so big mileages are not likely. Simon is positive enough at the moment to take advantage of any favourable conditions, however temporary. 

Simon was very pleased to get so many messages, particularly one from Bob Wilson and wife Meg. Thanks all. 

 James and Jamie, the youngest pair in the race, with James' Mum, Anne, at the pre-race party.