I hardly had time to gather my thoughts after finishing the Bermudes 1000 just 24 hours ago. I was welcomed to the shore by race committee and fellow skippers, went for a quick shower and meal then headed straight back out with my delivery crew to catch the last of the North going tide and bring Superbigou back to Poole.

Yesterday was glorious sailing, uncomplicated steady breeze, bright sunshine and clear skies. It seemed there was little to report about the day; no dramas to recount, no hardships to bemoan.

Pip has now been at sea over a week - and what a trying week it has been. Plagued by inconsistent breeze and a troublesome goose neck pin, life hasn’t been easy for Pip. However it hasn’t stopped her from enjoying every moment on the water.

The last 24hrs has been a reminder of how big all of this, the ocean, the boat, all of the elements that need to be in balance to successfully race this boat. The tiniest things can trip you up, for me it's a bolt.

This morning whilst performing one of the regular deck and rig checks, Pip noticed that a critical pin holding the boom onto the mast had worked it’s way loose and was close to failing.