Ellen's diary: Log 10

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

I have little time and need to sleep, but just had to put fingers to keys.

We rounded Ascension Island shortly after midnight on the 16th and are off again after some horrible sea conditions.

We were beating into an ugly swell and I'm soaked around the neck and wrists after a mad burst of sail changing and tacking,

No point drying out though - there's the gennaker to prepare soon.

There was excitement and apprehension in the air all night, as we want to round sagely, but not let Groupama through!

As I sit here typing, my arms are placed on a soggy towel and the dim light from the screen lights the keys.

Cooked pasta

I can see the backs of my hands all lumpy with heat bumps, and my fingers slide around a bit on the keys as I've just eaten, and there's clearly some butter mixed in my moist salty hands.

Alain prepared the pasta a while ago, while I steered.

Since the start of the race we have very rarely been on autopilot - I think you could count the number of hours on one hand.

It's tiring steering, but it is a wonderful feeling being in control of such a delicate but powerful machine - always so close to the edge.

I slid down through the oval hatchway to enjoy the pasta feast, my fading headtorch lighting the pressure cooker on the wee gas ring, as I wedged my self against the galley. 

Butter straight on top of the just cooked pasta - and spoon straight in there - with salt water dripping of the headtorch all over it.

Tasted wonderful though... time to go anyway! Sleep for 20 mins.

E