Vendee Globe solo,non-stop, round-the-world-race sailor Sam Davies has been able to check out her Open 60 for the first time since the storm at the start of the race.

“I am starting to feel half-human again, after a night “rest”, compared to the first three days of this race. Yesterday was the transition between the storm and the “Portuguese Trade Winds”.

‘The wind slowly dropped, and the waves became less aggressive. I was able to do a complete check over ROXY to make sure there was no damage during the storm; inside and out. All looks well, except the little breakages on my runner slack line, and the oil spill in the aft compartment. When the wind and waves had dropped enough, I managed to find enough energy to hoist the big gennaker, and by the end of the day ROXY was surfing down the Atlantic swell!

‘A nice surprise, just before sunset, I saw a little sail out towards the West – it was Aviva! So I managed to call Dee on the VHF and we had a little chat. It was nice to find out that she was OK too, and to hear the voice of someone who is close by. Then we were “buzzed” by a Spanish coastguard aeroplane who called us up to congratulate us for getting through the storm – and to tell us to call him “if we ever needed anything!!??”

‘Last night I concentrated on getting some sleep – real sleep of more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time. I had several long (40 minute) sleeps and a few 20 minute ones.

‘This morning, I have been starting my little jobs – as we surf along. I have repaired one of my runners, and after my porridge, I will get going on the other side……

Sam x’