An early sunrise greets Henri Lloyd crewmember Ryan Bates who writes in to describe live on board in the North Atlantic during Summer Sailstice 2014:
Sunrise. It's 3:45 UTC. The last "nightwatch" is coming up for the 4 to 8 am shift but this is going to be a very different day. To start with, it's already daytime.
Henri Lloyd in California - home to the Beach Boys.
Today marks the beginning of summer and it couldn't be more obvious than an early sunrise. In fact, it's been a steelish grey sky most of the night and it's not the moon. It's the grey of the first light of the morning that never really went away between sunset last night and dawn this morning.
Everyone on board Henri Lloyd, were in for an even greater treat than the longest daylight hours of the year - we were headed for a definite break in the clouds of the last few days and could see clear skies ahead.
Indeed, mid-morning brought beautiful blue skies, a warm sun, and a continuation of the relatively constant, if sometimes shifty, wind that we've been running with for the last few days.
We are still in race mode but the sunshine and the warmth make everything just a little more pleasant as we make a beeline for the northern coast of Ireland and our race stopover port of Derry-Londonderry. As the afternoon rolled around, the deck of Henri Lloyd became awash with the sounds of the Beach Boys as their top 30 hits were played to celebrate the warm sunshine and get the crew ready for the Beach Boys concert that will be on in port. Some impromptu dancing even broke out.
Dinner was served on deck with "Henri Lloyd Pasta" on the menu - the team favorite pasta dish comprised of pasta, marinated artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes. The first "nightwatch" is due on deck shortly but there's still no sign of night - just a lovely wake sparkling and lit up by the sun still far above the horizon. Henri Lloyd is still making great speed under lightweight spinnaker and we are catching up with our competition.
It's been an amazingly beautiful day and we will gladly soak up every last ray of sun. Welcome summer...
-Ryan Bates
