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Friday 15th April 2005
Twelve weeks at sea today. As expected, sleep was a rarity last night; the wind was up and still is. We’ve had a similar day to yesterday and we are still on impulse drive only. However at one point in the afternoon I detected some current, so it is still here somewhere. If only ocean currents were in colour.
We cracked the two thirds of the way mark today but a big one for me was turning over the chart. Antigua is there and beckoning.
Today I spotted a buoy in the sea and tried to retrieve it. It was an old fishing gear marker with a transmitter aerial on it, a length of wire or rope underneath. A huge gathering of Myrtle-type fish and others were attending underneath, so it must have been in the water for some time to set up the food chain. I managed to grab the aerial on the way past, but the weight of the whole thing was too much and it was pulled out of my grasp. The trouble is that you have only one chance to catch something like that, the wind and waves are too powerful to row back against. We’ve accumulated a modest collection of debris so far, but there will be more stuff to pick up as we approach land.
The second bottle of lime cordial has been opened. The first one was officially opened on 3rd April, so the remaining two will have to be dealt with frugally to last me all the way.
Whomsoever sent a text message telling me that it is her birthday on May 12th, please get in touch again, I’m now aiming for that day and we may well have a beer.
One click. To Antigua 888nm.
Saturday 16th April 2005
My breakfast of raspberry flapjack crushed with blueberries, the last of the dates and dried apricots and full milk was being heartily enjoyed this morning when Scotty came in from engineering.
“Captain, do you remember that dodgy supermarket we visited on our last trip to Starfleet Command?"
“I remember it well Scotty, I seem to recall purchasing some waterproof loudspeakers”
”Well I just found these in my cabin”
Scotty held out a grubby box with masking tape hanging off the sides.
“Diluthium crystals Captain, they’re no the proper Starfleet ones but their own brand”
”Stick ‘em in Scotty – let’s see what happens”
“Aye, aye Captain.”
Scotty beamed as he rushed away and carelessly let a label drop as he left. On examination it read Two for the price of One. Canny man, Scotty.
Well we managed Warp Factor 2 for today, giving us the 3 knots we required, but squally weather happens as of today, let’s hope Scotty’s crystals last longer than my speakers.
The flapjacks are so good and easy to prepare in the mornings that I’m going to have to halve them and put a porridge mix in each half. That should make them last a little longer. After that it’s scrambled eggs for brekkie each day which means more fuss. By the time the eggs run out we should be just about there, then no breakfast for a few days only.
A ship came by yesterday without me seeing it but I knew it was there before the sea me picked it up. My olfactory senses must be sharper after three months of fresh air. The first smell was hydrocarbons; the exhaust from it’s engine, and then a smell which I always associate with large scale catering, but for some reason not school dinners. Despite my searching the horizon, the ship never came into view and the sea me went quiet an hour later.
Thanks for the message Jeff, very reassuring.
One click. To Antigua 846nm.
Sunday 17th April 2005
Today has been a fairly leisurely affair by recent standards, rowing began at 0900 and proceeded with numerous breaks throughout the day, producing about 30 miles which will be added to during the night and tomorrow morning by a drift of about 1.5 knots. A couple of squalls came through which hampered us a bit, but generally a good day rowing.
Breakfast of a half flapjack was okay, I added plenty of dried milk powder and a spoonful of Canarian honey which I found during a locker clean. There are only two flapjacks left after tomorrow, so it will then be eggs (Freeze dried powdered eggs).
My mileage is holding up well, so I stopped rowing in the dark, if the miles drop off I will start again. It has become too hot to sleep in the cabin. If the night time temperature stays like this I shall have to make up a bunk on deck together with full equipment. The snag is that the deck often gets waves break over onto it and each day I have to clear a lot of dead flying fish which have landed there during the night. Sleep can’t be easy with all that going on. The fish are too small to eat.
Nine clicks. To Antigua 816nm.
Monday 18th April 2005
Not a hint of Warp Drive from Scotty today, so I just rowed and left him to his engines; he can be difficult when pestered. Impulse drive wasn’t brilliant, I didn’t dare tell him. The sea has been very tangible and difficult to row with varying winds and waves from all directions. Maximum boat speed was 2 knots. Maybe tomorrow will see us back in the current.
The time difference is showing clearly here now. At our time it is 2115 hours here and 2215 hours at home in Norwich. Here though the sun is still well up and it will not be sunset for another half hour. The time changes one hour for every 15 degrees travelled east or west. When we arrive in Antigua I will have to put my watch back four hours. That makes sense, I left the Greenwich meridian and Antigua lies at 62 degrees west.
Back on the 6th March I mentioned to you that we had an exciting navigational moment when we entered box 7 on my routing chart and that the boxes are in reverse order counting down to Antigua. Remember? Of course you do. Well tomorrow or Wednesday we will leave box 3 and enter box 2. Excited? Good.
The routing chart is Admiralty 5124 (2) (February), for any of you wishing to check my progress. Don’t look for the boxes, I put them on there.
It is my intention to scrub the bottom of the boat again tomorrow, the wind is forecast to be moderate during the afternoon and a swim will be in order. Keeping the hull smooth is one method of making miles.
Thank you for your messages my dear niece Sarah, your unique and refreshing view of the world keeps me uplifted.
Thanks Lorenzo, I shall be there on the 1st.
23 clicks. To Antigua 772nm.
Tuesday 19th April 2005
The wind had died away this morning after a very rough night, so I went for a swim and cleaned the hull, but there was very little cleaning to do. When I began rowing I found there was very much to do. We were in an eddy taking us southwest at 1.8 knots. It stayed like that all day, until 7 tonight when a wind blew up which helped us along the way. I feel pretty sure we are clear of it now, but today has been a very hard slog.
The waves last night managed to soak me well and tonight we have some wet gear still. Whilst typing this I fell asleep, please forgive a short bulletin this evening.
Well done John Peck for completing the marathon des sables, an incredible achievement.
Ali, I don’t know how you got on, please let me know.
One click. To Antigua 747nm.
Wednesday 20th April 2005
These eddies are jolly difficult sometimes, we are still in it, and today has been another slog and I have no idea when we will exit. They play a game of cat and mouse; the rowing effort in the eddy is heavy and when leaving the effort required drops off, giving the water a soft and light feel. The eddy has a number of areas like that to tease you with. When you’ve been in soft water for an hour, you think you have cleared it and just as the cigars are being passed around, the water again turns to clay and the boat’s speed plummets. Ha ha says eddy, gotcha still. Several areas of soft water were laid on for my amusement today, so that it will take a whole day of soft water to convince me that we are out.
Henry Dale, ocean rower of ORS 2004 Regatta, has kindly given me a copy of his log to read whilst I’m on my way. One day at a time was my plan, but the journeys have been so remarkably similar that I’ve had to start reading ahead. It was beginning to look as though I was using his log for inspiration for mine, so I now check ahead to make sure that anything reported by me is not mirrored in Henry’s log. Given that we are doing pretty much the same thing I suppose the stories are bound to be similar. Henry did have an experience which has so far eluded me; he had a magical encounter with a pod of killer whales. Sharks and large whales are at the top of my wannasee list and we still have 700 miles to go.
Ian, we will have to enjoy that pint when I arrive back home, your birthday is my target day for Antigua.
Five clicks. To Antigua 715nm.
Thursday 21st April 2005
Three months at sea today. A vicious squall is passing over us at the moment so I take this opportunity to begin my bulletin. The squalls and eddies of the last few days (yes we are still in it) have set us back a bit, but the three quarters way mark we’ll pass tomorrow, not today. Just as well, I’m not quite ready for a party.
About half an hour ago I was looking out to starboard at a normal kerfuffle on the surface of the sea (just a Dorado catching a flying fish) when suddenly the Dorado streaked like a torpedo towards the boat and slammed very hard into the side. Peering over the side and hoping to be able to lift supper out of the sea I could see nothing but the other Dorado who had gathered to see what the fuss was about. He must be made of extremely stern stuff to survive a whack such as that, or perhaps he sunk.
Today the rain was so heavy that I could not use the compass to steer the boat, so rowing was suspended for a while. During the deluge I scrubbed my way around the boat, letting nature take care of rinsing down.
The quick inventory of desserts this evening to see if we had enough to get into harbour; 4 cheesecake mixes, 6 vanilla and raspberry puddings, 16 wild berry and yogurt puddings. Easy peasy, yum yum. For celebrations such as tomorrow and the seven eighths of the way mark we also have a Christmas pudding which I bought in a charity auction in December (£60, is that a good price?). I know it will be a good one because my mate Tim made it and he doesn’t mess about. Tomorrow my intention is to carve a big chunk out of it and pour one of the vanilla and raspberry desserts over it. The last of the raspberry flapjacks has been consumed. (Please leave by the nearest available exit – thank you. Paul they were simply excellent.
My short wave radio has just about had enough of short wave and is probably not going to survive much longer, when it does go I wonder if I will be relieved in not having to try to tune into the World Service.
If the present conditions do not get worse, then I may still be on schedule for arrival on 12th May. I hope to be able to firm up on the date in about three weeks time.
14 clicks. To Antigua 688nm.
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