Crew member on GBR100L Liara

RORC report from Liara 11

It's been a good leg across the Celtic sea and at 1430 we are just undereight miles from the Rock. There's about 18 knots of true and we're comingin on port with a number three up.

We've never really recovered from the parking session west of Portland andafter a superb dawn we saw Leopard returning in the distance to the southand then a bunch of Open 60s led by Artemis and BT swept passed us ontheir way home.

We've been level pegging with Hexe for most of the Celtic Sea leg and itwill be interesting to see how we are lying at the rounding. We can alsosee Hugo Boss to weather. We've been in touch with her for most of therace.

Life onboard is comfortable to say the least. Following a fairly energeticsail change from the No 1 to the staysail to No 3 (we have to go to thestaysail because of bare-headed changes on the single groove headstayfoil), roast chicken drum sticks followed by chocolate brownies are servedon the weather deck

The dvd is back in action with Bad Boys running again and the off watchsprawled yet again across the saloon sole. This area of the accommodationhas served as a dormitory and auditorium. Negotiating a crossing from thegalley to the forward accommodation one has to not only deal with theconsiderable angle of heel but also avoid stepping on prone crew members.

We've all just been asked to dress for a photoshoot as we approach theRock. Time for a hot shower, shave and wash and brush up.