38´26.9N 011´23.7W course 185´ 4,5kn
Our small spa guest, of 15 centimeters large, seems to have taken up permanent residence. It was a windy day and she had trouble holding on to our varnished top deck, and so she decided that downstairs would be better for her. As I was making dinner (sunday roast!) she was hopping around behind me, like she had lived with us for ever. And to be honest, I do not have the heart to send her out into the weather we are having tonight. While it was calm yesterday, the 80 miles to shore, did not seem too far, she would have made it after her breakfast lunch and dinner.. but then it started blowing from the east, 20 knots headwind for a small bird like herself, would not have been a good plan..

Also I made a mistake in naming her Brambling yesterday, I meant Warbler, but that is also false! She is actually a female Chaffinch!! (In het Nederlands een Vink) Her colours and stripes are coming out better now she has unruffled her feathers and has had a good nights sleep. I hope they have Chaffinches on Tenerife.. Because we are getting further and further from the Portuguese coastline.
Just over 650 miles to go. We are heading into the Southerly winds of the Low pressure area coming in tomorrow. After days of good progress this is a set back, but one we knew was coming.
Spirits are high, even though in the first two hours of this watch, we got completely drenched with rain! But at dinner time we did our traditional Sunday beer, and had wave crash into our bowl of crisps, which made them not so crisp..
In the last hour the wind decreased a lot, which leaves us shaking and rolling, but it also gives us the opportunity to make more South then West. Sometimes traffic can get very busy, but most of the time, we feel alone in the world. A feeling we will get used to in our next voyage. And a feeling we dont seem to mind. Our small world seems to be growing on our crew!
All is well on board,
Jet