Day 7: 12.13.031'N 040.30.433'W, 138nm (24h)

December 14, 1200 UTC
Distance to go: 940nm
Wind and waves: NE 10-15kn, 2,5m
Sails: Main, genoa and cutter sail, wing and wing

The wind has gone down a little and the movement is more restful. Our sails are out in full, including the cutter genoa, and we are heading straight downwind with the sails wing and wing. Although the wind level often dips down to 10 knots we are still travelling at 5-5,5 knots so making progress in the right direction. And...more exciting news...we have reached the halfway point!!! Yipee! It is an amazing feeling to be exactly in the middle of the ocean and nice to be moving closer to land rather than farther away.

Given that this is such a special day we have prepared a half-way celebration. Our lunch consisted of fresh-baked scones, whipped cream and jam and lemonade for Emma and Macsen. The monkeys painted fish for Neptune yesterday afternoon and left him little messages (Emma certainly in the hopes of getting some presents). Seb and I have done our best to turn the living room into an aquarium with cut-outs of fish and seaweed hanging from the ceiling. When Emma and Macsen wake up from their naps they will (hopefully) be delighted to walk into this fishy world and hunt for special presents left by the fishy henchmen of Neptune. This will be followed by our daily tasty snack time. I baked cupcakes this morning for the occasion and Seb and I are looking forward to popping a bottle of champagne (only one glass each...). Ahhhh! Yum.

The Elena crew had given us a large can of Cassoulet au Confit du Canard (duck stew) that they had purchased on a trip to France and they promised that it would amaze us. We decided that the halfway point was just the occasion for opening this treat and we cooked up a nice ratatouille as accompaniment and settled in for dinner with our champagne (our first alcoholic beverage in a week). Seb and I were both a little skeptical about eating a canned stew but it was absolutely delicious. The four of us sat in cockpit and toasted the halfway point, watched the sun set and tucked into an amazingly yummy meal. A great day!

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