Atlantic Diary: Paul Gleeson and Tori Holmes are closing in on the finish in Antigua

Tori: Finally it's going the way it's supposed to. For the 24 hours to midday Tuesday, which is how we measure our distance each day, we made 55 nautical miles, a rate of about three knots. That was by far our best day until then, it's well over 60 statute miles.

We can see now how some of the boats which finished were credited with huge figures for some of the days. It's almost as if you're surfing the waves, and we've had a following wind and the swell in our favour.

The first few days after we spoke last were hard - very, very tough rowing. We had to fight our way across the swell to get to 17 degrees, the latitude of Antigua. We got there but we had to work hard. As Paul said last week, I'm only about seven stone and I was pulling the bulk of a tonne. It was like rowing through sand. We rowed 23 hours a day and we got to 17 degrees by the end of the week.

In the last few days we spoke to the support boat and to Atlantic rower Eamonn Kavanagh back home and they advised us to get even further north, to give ourselves leeway as we approach the finish. So we're doing that.

We hear that the organisers have said they're not too keen about pulling boats that drift south back to Antigua, except in emergency situations. We have every confidence we won't need it, but it pisses you off. They're in sailboats, y'know? We paid them thousands before the start, so we expect them to help us towards the finish if we get across the Atlantic.

One of the things that drives us on is that this is for Concern. Even if people don't donate to our appeal on mobile phones we like to think that they might give money to the charity in our name.

Yesterday was our 70th day out here, and yes it does feel like a long time. At the rate we're going now we hope to reach Antigua by the 24th, and that gives us a focus. We've never been as focused: it's important we don't relax too much because one mistake could really damage us.

I think I've lost about half a stone. You'd think, "all that rowing, she must be so fit". But it doesn't feel like that at all. My muscles feel kind of like jello (jelly); like I was skinny and fat at the same time.

We've run out of most of our skincare stuff, our creams and powder, and our skin is so dry. Paul has bad cold sores from the wind but we have no chapstick. We're having to ration our baby wipes for cleaning.

I have the best tan I have had in my life, it's fantastic, but I'm chafed behind my knees and at my elbows and the bottom of my back to halfway down the back of my legs is covered in blisters. It's very uncomfortable. It feels like - well, have you ever got salt in an open cut?

The sheepskin seat cover we had got caked in salt, so I gave it a good shampoo and brushed it. It's getting better treatment than my own hair! We were the classic castaways a few days ago. We put our position and the website address (www.Row4Concern.com) on a piece of paper and put it in the champagne bottle we opened at halfway, then we flung it out to sea. I really hope we get a reply some day.

Monday was great. We were surfing the waves, just gliding. We had this big fish following us; he was a blue, fluorescent colour, and it was riding the waves too. It got so close I thought it might land in the boat. Our shadow has been behaving. We're getting on well. It hasn't lent a hand at the oars, though. Maybe it's just a freeloader!

Our pace now means we've been able to tell our families we should be in Antigua before the end of the month. Even allowing for some bad days we'll be within the target we set a while back of 90 days for the 3,000-odd miles.

We're thinking of our families, and I'm told now my father should be able to make it to Antigua for our arrival. He's been featuring in the latest game we use to stave off the boredom out here. We've tried every game we can think of, and one we have now is making up screenplays.

We have two entire movies scripted and cast. My father is played by Jack Nicholson. Paul is Seán Penn - he's not too happy, but I'm casting director. I'm played by Kate Hudson. Good casting there! Adam Sandler and Vin Diesel play two of our friends. The plots? We're going to copyright them when we reach dry land.

Now we're getting close we can think of the finish. What we're really looking forward to is meeting our families and a beer!

To contribute to the Gleeson/Holmes Concern Appeal text Row to 57252. Each text costs €2.