Friday 18th August 

It's 11pm here on Forth Hope and absolutely pitch black outside - unless you look up and see the stars in all their spectacular glory! We're currently rolling up to thirty degrees in the swell - what a way to go star gazing. For those of you who are in to dark skies, you'd have nothing to complain about out here - we're some 1100 miles from the nearest light pollution!

Another "discovery" was this evening's dinner of mince and carrots with spaghetti. Rory, our cook, assured us that when he microwaved some portions, the microwave diluted the gravy! Wow could we be on to the next reggae reggae sauce catering sensation? I'll try and get his recipe for the next edition of Good Housekeeping Magazine!

Meanwhile, we've got another 6 days of sailing until we reach Brazil, and then we can look forward to the joy of cruising the Amazon. I wonder if we will see some Cunard Queen calling at Manaus to visit the opera house!

Best for the weekend.

Willie (on the bridge of MV Forth Hope)

(Photo: We had some friendly visitors at the bow of the vessel!)