Ellen's diary: Log seven

Ellen MacArthur continues her diary for BBC Sport Online as she sails on in the Transat Jacques Vabre.

Well, Sunday can be best described as a shocker!

We had little wind and then no wind, and at one point we swore that if the wind came from 020 for an hour longer, we would go mad!

Then you see those who were well over 100 miles away roll right up and then pass you.

That's tough to take because there is absolutely nothing you can do.

The virtually immaculate tube of spray being sucked up miles into the sky resembled something from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

But bar a few expletives, we have been doing our best to keep happy and stay positive.

We always remind ourselves that the race starts again many times each day. One day you might be ahead - but the next day fall behind. It can work both ways and it's not the end of the world.

During the heat of the day, we profited by fixing a small hole in the gennaker, which always makes you feel a little happier - one less job to do and all that.

At one stage, when we had just started moving again, I went to the front of the bowsprit and counted down '3,2,1' before dropping a piece of paper on both sides of the central hull.

"The new start line", I then shouted to Alain. "Ca part de la!"

The day's highlight was watching 50 tiny dolphins in a feeding frenzy, and all jumping out of the water at once.

Then we had two water spouts at the same time - now that really was something! The virtually immaculate tube of spray being sucked up miles into the sky resembled something from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

Threatening clouds

Last night, there was initially no wind but then a few of the most incredible doldrums squall clouds I've ever seen, within which the wind reached over 20 knots. 

With both of us on deck, we flew along in the shadow of a very low, black cloud...  and suddenly the rain came.

It felt like something out of a film set, sailing virtually blind as the rain hit us like bullets, and yet on a sea so still and smooth.

By the morning however, those lightning clouds were being burned away by the morning light, and we could once again see that familiar and I guess comforting, blue sky.

We are a bit upset that Groupama has slipped ahead of us but hey, the route is long, and the real race starts here!

Until next time,

E