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Friday 6th May 2005
Today we were caught in a current which wanted to take us south and steal yesterday’s hard-earned northings. Rowing steadfastly through the day, I had to stop for body fuel at 2000. Fifteen minutes later the current had altered to the west and is now helping us towards Antigua.
A Sooty Shearwater arrived on the scene today, last night’s Noddy had gone. Sooty is a fine powerful bird. Noddy had a big wingspan that looked impressive in the sky, yet folded up as small as a pigeon when he landed.
The last lime cordial came out today as we now have less than 200 miles to go. Also brought out was a large bottle of mandarin juice, which is unlikely to survive tomorrow. Very few treats left now and the food list has shrunk to a level which would have the rats jump ship if we had any.
A large motor vessel, The Cold Sea, came past today, we spoke on the VHF but their radar did not pick up our sea-me, nor did we detect it. Worrying.
Last night was very rough and I slept hardly at all again. The howling banshees outside can make it difficult even for the very tired to sleep through. Shutting the hatch would help, but I seem to consume all of the oxygen in the cabin in a very short time.
Thank you for your kind messages Mike and the crew of the Coach and Horses Thorpe Road, a fine establishment. Ian Shreve, Ali Boreham, Mike and Claire Farnworth (I’ll be in touch soon).
No clicks. To Antigua 189nm
Saturday 7th May 2005
Physical rowing again today, the winds and seas were high and I had trouble keeping to course. The forecast is more of the same, so it looks as if the last few days of the trip are going to be as tough as any. Sleep was zero again last night; the sea-me started alarming at midnight and went on for an hour before the ship came into view. It passed harmlessly half a mile away with no contact. I had to settle for a nap at about six this morning, having been thrown savagely around the cabin for the remainder of the night. My last packet of rye bread was opened this afternoon, and was fresh as new. Spread with almogrote, mayonnaise, and a chunk of corned beef. It was scrumyum.
Remember the boxes on the chart? Of course you do, well tonight we leave the last box (number 1) and we will just have the last 100 miles or so to row into the harbour. Just like that. Let’s hope so, I have more worries about the last two days than the rest of the trip.
Last week at the 400 miles to go mark, I called my wife to say that we were effectively leaving Glasgow for Norwich, and I would tell her daily where we had reached. Today we passed Boroughbridge on the A1. We came down the M8, M74, A74 to Carlisle, then to Penrith and onto the A66 over Bowes Moor. We will carry on down to Sleaford where we will leave the A1 and head east. This is absolute tosh and nonsense of course, rowing boats are not allowed to use the Queen’s Highway and I do not require text messages suggesting alternative routes, thank you. I’ll let you all know when we reach Swaffham.
No clicks. To Antigua 150nm.
Sunday 8th May 2005
Sorry, no diary today
Monday 9th May 2005
Again, apologies for no diary yesterday, I have been rowing constantly to try to extricate us from the latest and biggest eddy yet.
This one has taken us around the compass, thirteen more miles north of Antigua and is currently whisking us northeast at over 1 knot. To date my strategy for dealing with these has been to row west. This one is so strong that I can get only 0.4 knots west with full effort. I‘ve decided to stop rowing against it and conserve energy for when it turns in my favour or we somehow otherwise get out of it.
Yesterday I rowed firstly for 15 hours, then through the night on and off which made 18 hours, then today I’ve rowed 10 hours so far. It is tantalising to think that Antigua, family and friends are only 118 miles away, but I’m being taken further away.
Today I saw sharks in behind the boat and when I looked, it was a 12 ft brown shark with a big bluff nose. A quick photo and back to the oars. He found the boat fascinating and stayed for half an hour, just nosing around. Tick a box on that one, just a large whale now, and my wannasee list is complete.
Things I’m not looking forward to: tobacco smoke, other air pollution, fast cars, lists, and television. That’s about all, so life doesn’t frighten me that much.
Tonight we have our first radio station on medium wave. Good local music and great stuff!
No clicks. To Antigua 119nm.
Tuesday 10th May 2005
The Klingons may well have won this time; we’ve travelled 44 miles north and 15 miles east since they grabbed us and still we head east at 1.5 knots.
I have spent many hours trying to arrest the movement, but to no avail. Sadly this could be the end of the attempt. The food will last me a week at a push, but each day we move east adds a day's rowing into the equation until landfall. By my calculations Antigua is now five days rowing away. If no change happens in the next 24 hours I shall have to arrange a re-supply or a tow-in.
The medium wave radio station is now, of course, out of range again.
No clicks. To Antigua 135nm, and rising.
Wednesday 11th May 2005
Sorry, no diary entry today – see below.
Thursday 12th May 2005
Today was to have been arrival day, but never mind.
Yesterday was spent trying to arrange a tow, whilst trying to arrange things so that we did not need a tow. My wife was in Antigua carrying out the first part, whilst I busied myself with the second. By last night, Neet had not only arranged a tow by the Royal Navy, she had also found two of my old Navy muckers to boot.
For my part, I formulated a plan, made some rules, made preparations and executed said plan. My position was well to the north, but because I’d be rowing against the drift for most of the time, we did not go too far east. The plan was to row us out of the eddy no matter how long it took or how slow the rate of escape. No sleeping or breaks, and all eating and drinking to be done on the move.
Plenty of eats and drinks were laid on and my task began. The intended route was south west, I turned the boat and began. The water felt like granite and we moved south west at 0.1 to 0.2 knots for the first five hours. This crept up as the day and night wore on, until at 11.30 last night when we were making 1 knot.
When I stopped rowing I looked at the speed display to find that we were no longer being taken backwards. I was exhausted and so tried to take a nap, but I slept very little. At 0230 Radio Norfolk called to do an interview after which I began rowing again. I rowed through until 1700 this evening when the boat speed had reached 1.5 knots. Neet has called off the navy (thank you Commander Kerr) and I think we can say tomorrow that we should be clear and on our way.
All this was to show how industrious I had been and why I deserved to eat a whole jar of peanut butter this evening. My appetite has never been so keen.
Jeff, my cousin and hero, sent me a text message this morning detailing the location of all the eddies in the area, including the one we were in. Because they have no visual features, it is impossible to know the layout and shape of eddies, but with Jeff’s info we were able to plan the great escape. Thanks Jeff, the Milky Bars are on me when we meet next, which will, I hope be soon.
The night before last I was rowing light when I heard dolphins. They were all around the boat and stayed for 15 minutes before leaving. The phosphorescence when they jump and turn is magical. Another great event at the ringside and it wasn’t even on my list.
The text messages I received today after the radio interviews were very heart warming. Thank you all.
One click. To Antigua 117nm, and falling.
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