Week 2 from JJ
JJ Rowers
Jamie Facer-Childs and James Thysse
Sun 10 May 2009 23:11
One word to describe our first week at sea - "Hell!" It has been a nightmare of a time, from bloody bums and sore skin, to aching muscles and exhausted bodies. But we continue ever onwards, each day taking us closer to Mauritius and the finish line. We started out on 19th April, a day of sunshine. We set off, spirits filled high and a touch of mild apprehension that this was it, the day we'd been waiting for. It was a flying start and we powered ourselves over the start line and rowed both up until darkness, then I carried on for an hour followed by James. Driving westward against Southerly winds we had much hard rowing to do to
get off the coast of Australia. We paid a heavy price for our valiant efforts, our bums, still soft, began to break down and rip apart, rubbed red raw by our seats. But we struggled on, through a stormy first 4 days, battling beam on to waves bigger than your house! We are now on the mend with other problems to encounter along the way, but we currently lead the pairs boats towards Africa and won't give up!