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Friday 22nd April 2005
Scotty said nothing at breakfast today, but there was something about his demeanour which led me to think he was happy about something. When I reached the rowing seat I found the cunning old fox had fixed the Warp Drive. We are out of the eddy and made 3 knots all day, tailing off to 2.7 at finish time at 8 p.m. Hoorah for that.
At 1300hrs we passed the three quarters of the way mark which is being celebrated in Womble style with a sumptuous banquet in the cockpit. My German rye bread has gone mouldy but was okay after a trim, my penultimate container of Rioja has a certain vinegary edge to it, but is drinkable. We also have jumbo olives, a jar of mayonnaise, salami, pasta primavera and Christmas pudding which will be smothered in vanilla and raspberry dessert.
For the last two days the wind has been blowing steadily from the south east which is unheard of in this parish. They were not forecast but they’ve even had the cheek to bring their own cloud streak with them as if they were legitimate trade winds!
“What are you then?”
“We’re the SE Trades”
“Impossible, you don’t exist”
“We do now, everything is up for grabs, so our government did a management buyout and got the Trade Wind contract so here we are”
“So what about the famous NE Trades?”
“Dunno mate, not our problem”
A tropic bird visited today, was trying to board, but found no space and left. So much more civilised than those commonest of Terns.
Thanks for your message David and Wendy, I’m looking forward to seeing you again, we have a lot to discuss I think.
Ali, very well done in the London Marathon, heroic stuff.
Three clicks. To Antigua 645nm.
Saturday 23rd April 2005
Not brilliant rowing today, the current was in my favour, but the pseudo Trade Winds remained and caused us loss of speed and just spoiled things.
The Dorado have gone. All of them. They were here last night, all 50 of them, and this morning they were nowhere to be seen. Two malevolent looking Barracuda are hanging around, but I can’t believe they had anything to do with it, they’ve been hanging around for a while. We must have drifted past something which had a well established food chain, and stayed to feast on it. They will be missed. I enjoyed watching them surf the waves beside me as I did the same, and I enjoyed having them with me as escorts. In the same way we do when one of the cats goes walkabout, I shall be on the foredeck shaking a bag of dried flying fish shouting “Dorydoos, where are yoos?” Myrtle has gone too.
The celebrations went well last night. The banquet though was enough to feed three people and I consumed far too much. Our next and last milestone is seven eighths of the way and we should reach that in about nine days. Yippee, another banquet.
Two Manx Shearwaters have arrived and are sitting nearby on the water (preliminary ID only).
A ship appeared on the horizon today and was gone again in ten minutes. No contact. The world goes about its business and knows nothing of you. Splendid isolation.
One click. To Antigua 603nm.
Sunday 24th April 2005
Good rowing today, the currents and winds were both more favourable and the miles came along easily. A lovely day, sunshine and a cool breeze.
We have covered more than fifty miles since the Dorado left so they have no chance of finding us now, however today we were joined by three Myrtles.
Rowers who arrived in Barbados last year told me that the local fishermen knew to fish beside the rowing boats as they arrived and the Dorado made the journey all the way only to be caught. It is just as well they have left, I’m sure the Antigua fishing community will be doing just the same.
The fish caught in the Caribbean dine on the smaller fish, which in turn has eaten weed and goodies from coral reef, which produce dinoflagellates. These produce a toxin called ciguatera which can be poisonous to man. Fish which arrive from the ocean are therefore less likely to cause illness.
Last night we were treated to a spectacular meteor which lit up the sky. You don’t see that very often in Norwich.
My Christmas pudding is truly excellent and is large enough to last me a few days. Thank you Tim, book me in for another this year, but we’ll haggle over the price.
Erden, good to hear from you, good luck with your row, if you want to contact me before you go, I reckon my regular number is somewhere on the site. I will be arriving in Antigua around 12th May.
Two clicks. To Antigua 569nm.
Monday 25th April 2005
As the newspapers such as the Sun would say, today was a sizzler. 116 degrees on the rowing position and 98 in the shade, but there ain’t no shade. (These are Farenheit, to arrive at Celsius, subtract 30 and divide the remainder by 2.) Too hot to row this afternoon so I took a break and did some odd jobs; one of which was to find the chart for Antigua and to begin to make plans for my approach. It looks very straightforward so long as I avoid that age-old hazard of the navigator; land. Seriously, if the wind and current are normal on the day it should be easy.
Today’s hallucination was the sound of the bins being emptied this morning, the diesel engine accompanied by voices and clatter. At least it wasn’t the bottle recycler. Another odd job was to stow away all my clothes which I will no longer require on the trip; this was nearly all of them, hardly any of them fit me now. When you’re trying to imagine how skinny I look, think Ghandi.
Today I tuned into a good solid station which did not waver on it’s frequency, it was clear and audible and broadcast in English from the Caribbean with local content. The station was the BBC World Service, which surprised me a little. Thirty minutes later it was switched off and I’ve heard nothing of it since, and that surprises me not at all.
A Bulwer’s Petrel came by today, and showed lots of interest in us, he even sat on the sea nearby. Also, without the Dorado the boat is being visited by many more flying fish.
Thank you for your messages Thruster, Neil and Lorenzo. Alex, it would be brilliant if you can make it, see you there.
Seven clicks. To Antigua 538nm.
Tuesday 26th April 2005
Rowing today was more difficult than usual; the wind and current were at right angles to each other, which made our top speed 2.5 knots, but the sea was very heavy going. We still made a fairly good mileage, but my limbs will be hurting tomorrow. In about an hour we will pass the 500 miles to go mark, which is worth a small glass of something red.
These milestones seem to be much more abundant in the second half of the voyage, it’s a good job I kept some goodies until now. The next one to pass will be seven eighths of the way which will be this weekend, when the last of my treats will be consumed. No wildlife at all today, not a thing. That’s the first day that has passed without so much as a bird.
Tomorrow a rowathon is being held at Dunston Hall in aid of the Davenport Trust. Good rowing to all entrants, there will be a prize from me for the entrant who’s mileage is the closest to mine tomorrow.
Ten clicks. To Antigua 500nm.
Wednesday 27th April 2005
Following on from yesterday’s rowing, today we are in the mother of all eddies; at one point today I rowed for two hours and could not make more than 0.9 knots. Tonight I will try to row from time to time and see if we can escape. That mileage is unlikely to be enough to keep the average up. A feeling has come over me that this journey has a few surprises left in store for us yet.
One of my two white shirts, which keep the sun from scorching my back and shoulders, has fallen apart. Pity, it was one of my old favourites, but the snag is I now have to row completely starkers whilst the other shirt goes through the laundry. At least I have plenty of sun block.
A confession: Today, whilst on patrol in the galley locker, I discovered a jar of peanut butter. In order to check that it was still edible, I opened it and took a small sample with a teaspoon. One thing led to another and in a short time there was no longer a jar of peanut butter at all. I have since felt deeply guilty and gluttonous. Dinner tonight was an undeserved pasta primavera followed by wild berry and yogurt dessert.
Tonight I have a special mention and heartfelt thanks for a lady at Buckingham Street Day Centre in Hull. This lady has been printing out my daily diary and putting it into a folder each day for my Aunty Glad. Thank you very much Freda.
Thank you for your kind words Mike Hoyland and family, and also thanks to Sal and Pete, and Judy and Paul.
Twenty clicks. To Antigua 471nm.
Thursday 28th April 2005
You will by now be familiar with the term “We are still in it”. At 4.30 this morning I began rowing to try to get some miles towards the “whereabouts unknown” edge of the eddy. After an hour or so of sheer back break against the current I took shelter from a rain shower for a few minutes. At 9.30 I woke exactly where I’d sat down. My body clock has lost it’s synchronization with reality and I sometimes fall asleep during the day whilst rowing. The odd thing is that when I do so, I don’t feel particularly tired.
Dorado news…
Three new Dorado joined us today and several Myrtles. These Dorado are very quiet compared to the last lot, we will see how they settle in. Two tropical birds and four Wilson’s Storm Petrels today, also a large bird which I have not identified, but maybe a Shearwater. Thirty or so small flying fish were cleared from the deck this morning. The numbers would drop dramatically if the navigation light was switched off, but this is a shipping lane and we need to be seen, especially with Rip Van Winkle in charge.
Neil Oxenbury has kindly offered to let me know when the election fever has gone away and it is safe to come home. Thanks Neil, much appreciated; this may be a drastic way to miss it all, but it is well worth it.
One click. To Antigua 449nm.
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