1 March
Frasersboat
Mon 6 Mar 2006 18:16
First day of March and we have been on the road now for 31 days. Seems only
yesterday that we set off bright eyed andf bushy tailed from La Gomera.
A lot has happened in that time. It was said that we would know all we
needed to know about ocean rowing in 10 days by Kenneth of the Ocean Rowing
Society. Well we are still learning as you might expect but it wasn't far
from the truth. We have now experienced prolonged storms, gale force swells,
massives benign seas, rollers flat calms, pudding seas, etc, etc. We have
had days of pleasure, pain, misery, elation, disappointment, self doubt,
what on eartrh am I doing here, cold, fear, every possible human emotion,
well almost, I haven't fallen for Tim yet!! Through it all your emails have
been a great help in maintaining our grip on things, and helped us to put
things into perspective. Thanks a lot.
Yesterday, I said that there wouuld be some news. No its not as Donna
suggetsed that we have an outboard motor stashed away. Ha ha. Seems a bit of
an
anti-climax now but we are now officially in the tropics, though Tim refuses
to believe it someone had previously filled his head with impressions that
the tropics were hot. We crossed the tropic of Cancer Lat 23 N last night
and today our GPS tells us that it is less than 2000nm to Antigua!
Today we rowed and rowed and plan to row throughout the night. The forecast
for the next 5 days is ENE winds so this will be good for us. Last night the
wind was from the north and we made quite a lot of southing. These ENE winds
are what we want and it looks as if we are in for a stable period that will
allow us to consolidate our position in the trade wind belt. Thanks to
Laurie Burrow for some excellent weather data keep it coming.
Mike makes it sound easy. I think the hardest for me is making some sense of
the physical and the emotional. It may sound a bit silly but the rowing is
often he easiest part - continually getting up to row is harder, trying to
face 2 months more is harder, putting things in perspective is harder,
worrying about endless difficult situations is harder.This is a masive
challenge and despite all written we are finding ways of doing it --small
targets, chatting when we can, looking after each other, doing our best.
There have been no tears yet - those that know me well know i have my
moments but each day is a day towards something achieved which is almost
unachievable and that motivates.
About motivation. Some attempt at psychology at the start led us to putting
some slogans on the boat. Pain is temporary, now has petit in front. Pride
is for life now has mothers in front and soon (when we find the pen)
Memories not dreams will change a vowel.. Makes me laugh whi`ch is
motivating.
Sleep calls.
T x