3 July

Hi all out there,

Its Mark here,

Well we are now settled into our watches nicely having started this edition of the Rolex TR 2011 about 3 hours ago.

Our watch has got lucky and we are now tucked into our bunks for the next 4 hrs. Before I hit the rack I will give you a quick run down on our day so far.

We left the dock at Newport Shipyard at about midday local time, and it was great to have all the support and cheers from everyone there, big thanks to the Shipyard for their hospitality over the past few weeks.

After a flyby with plenty of waving and cheering from our support squad of Clarke and Wills family and friends, we hosted the main and set about planning for the start. Clarke driving with Budgie in his ear did a nice of job of getting us away cleanly at the windward end of the line and we soon found our legs and climbed out over the other boats- a short beat to the first clearing nav mark off Newport and we were all cracked sheets on big jibs towards the Nantuckett shoals. Rambler, came over us slowly and the lighter Puma came thru to leeward and we are now all lined up over a distance of about 3 miles, with Beau Geste tucked in behind. Currently we have about 19 kts from SSW and flats seas.The breeze is expected to stay like this for a little while but hopefully by the time we come on deck in 4hrs we will have clear Atlantic Ocean in front of us and we can start to stick some bigger reaching sails up.

I am off to my ipod and some shut eye.

Catch you later

Mark Thomas, Driver/Watch Leader