The express route to the southern hemisphere has closed. The writing has been on the wall. Forecasts show gaping wind chasms opening up in the route ahead and, although there was still a part of me that was holding out hope I might get an easy ride through this area like the front of the fleet, the game is up.

Technical director, Joff Brown, shares an update on Pip and Medallia following the first two weeks of the race.

I keep glancing up at my GPS, doing the maths to work out how many miles to the equator. It's 566 from here but in time who knows, it depends if the doldrums will let us through.

The sailing at the moment is pure, clean, fast. During the day yesterday it was overcast but at night while clouds still lingered on the horizon, overhead opened up to a beautiful star strewn sky, so unblemished by other light.

Yesterday ended up being quite a tense day as I set my big spinnaker (big Bertha) first thing, and spent the rest of the day wondering whether to take the thing down again.

Tonight I have been battling with my inner voices having sailed into a big hole and spent the second half of the night just flopping around waiting for everyone to catch back up or sail away from me again.