On Saturday I decided to change my course to stay with Jean-Pierre Dick, just until I knew that he was happy with the boat and had made his decision about what to.

Enough is enough, the keels need to be made of solid steel and last the life of the boat, before someone gets hurt.

I had my easiest doldrum crossing ever Saturday with only two big black clouds and a slight slow down.

It has been a difficult month saving power but hopefully fingers crossed I won't have any more issues and can start running the boat normally again. I can't wait to make a load of water and get this beard off my face for one!

On Saturday morning I was in sight of the Falkland Islands, which is topical as I hear they have been in the news a lot this past week! From what I can see they're incredibly flat! Saturday was another sunny day, which is good, conditions are considerably better than they have been.

At 02.38GMT this morning I achieved a new milestone as I rounded Cape Horn, it is a huge achievement for me and the team behind me. This is the third time I have rounded Cape Horn, but the first on my own.

There are reports of a lot of ice around Cape Horn area so naturally I am also a little apprehensive about that, but the race committee provide us with positions of all icebergs within the area on a daily bases, so with this information I should be able to navigate my way past the Horn safely and back into the south Atlantic.

I've got a bit more used to the lack of contact now, but it's still hard not being able to speak to my family or stay connected to the world as much as I would like to.

At the moment it looks as though it's going to be a bit like this until we reach Cape Horn, which should be around the evening of the 3rd January, which while being tough on me also makes it difficult to find a good time to do any more work on my Hydro repairs.

I opened all my presents, some very practical, some as useful as a chocolate fireguard and most full of sugar. I don't have much sweet stuff onboard so am not used to the sugar rush which I am currently experiencing!

Although Christmas is just another day in the race it still is hard to be out here with limited contact. My wife Kate and son Oscar are in Sweden with her family this Christmas. I have gifts from them onboard and I was also prepared this year and bought all my presents in November but I am going to miss spending my son's second Christmas with him.

t is bitterly cold down here now, and I have several layers on even when in my sleeping bag. I have a heater onboard but it burns diesel so whilst I am in power saving mode and conserving fuel, using the heater is a no go therefore it is like some sort of torture having all the capabilities of making heat but not being able to use it.

It is really rough out here. Very bumpy and really confused waves. I am trying not to go to fast at the moment as she starts to slam a bit.

I am currently sailing towards this low pressure system in westerly winds which will back to the south in half a day before eventually settling back to the west again. The southerly wind will be very cold and I have prepared all my winter clothes.

Firstly thank you all for the messages of support regarding my emergency repairs via Facebook and Twitter. I am downloading my emails a couple of times a day when I get the weather so I still get them all.

I am gutted to have lost so many miles but fortunate that the known damage is repairable and that I'm able to continue on my way.

After a hairy couple of days with really big gusts and strong winds, it has calmed down a lot now and the breeze is down considerably this morning. I just hope that it holds out long enough for me to get to the Eastern end of the ice gate.

If a British yachtsperson was to win the next edition of the Vendee Globe 2012-13, due to leave the sleepy French fishing port of Les Sables d'Olonne, Vendee, France on Saturday 10th November 2012, it would be the yachting equivalent of Bradley Wiggins winning the Tour de France.