Today is day 60 at sea for Richie and I and we have continued our brutal 2 hours rowing, 2 hours resting pattern for about 80% of this time – we’ve spent about a total of 14 days on para anchor. However the good news is that the end is in sight (well, we can’t see land yet) but we’re edging ever closer. As I type we have 355 miles to go and we’re continuing our 50 miles (approx) per day.  60 days (2 months and one day) has surprisingly gone quickly but nonetheless is a hell of a long time to be “racing”. Rich and I couldn’t think of any annual human powered race in any sport that lasts as long as this. Someone please prove us wrong and please email or text the boat as we have given it some thought.

Whilst we have been tickling the 1-tonne Red Arrow through the Atlantic at what must appear to be a snails pace whilst you probably think that your PC has frozen because the dot is moving so slowly I’ve been thinking what all of you would have been doing including……….. Going to work, waiting for a late train, getting stuck in traffic, having 2 pay days (that would be nice for us), de-icing your car, watching England scrape some results in the Six Nations, putting your umbrella up, turning the central heating up, having a power shower, sitting on actual toilet, watching crap on TV, listening to the radio (I miss Jonny Vaughan!), the odd few sessions at the gym, going for a ski holiday, walking further than 2 steps,  having a dirty weekend away, wallowing in a hot bath, de-icing your car, having boring meetings at work, putting your clothes through a washing machine and then ironing them, paying bills, going out for a meal, having a chat with one of your mates on your mobile and not having to worry that it is costing you a fortune, spending time with your family, getting an email from your boss and thinking “do it yourself”, planning your holidays, watching the devastation in Haiti unfold, de-icing your car, dot watching, sending bad jokes to Rich & Tom (some of you), having sex, watching Match of the Day (not at the same time as having sex), putting the bins out, taking the kids to school, breast feeding, going to the Supermarket, filling the car up with petrol, spending time with your partner, having a lie-in, putting your thermals on, making a cuppa, surfing the net, taking money out of the cash point, de-icing your car………….…

I could go on but I think you get the drift and I’m sure you were reading the list going “yes” or “no” depending to what applied to you. The repetition of “de-icing your car” was my attempt at weather gloating for those who have experienced the worst winter on record in the UK. For the last 60 days Rich and I have lived a very primitive lifestyle and rowed, ate and slept pretty much in that order with the odd bit of emailing and bodily functions thrown in for good measure. We’ve done none of the day-to-day “normal” activities listed above – especially not the sex bit which does bring me on to a very unusual bit of information for you as Rich confessed to having brought condoms onboard!!  No joke. This trip has made me realise how much we do in a “normal day” at home and how life is made easy and nice by all the mod cons we have. In some senses this challenge has been a trip back to the dark ages but then we are surrounded by high tech phones, emergency beacons at the same time which is a real contrast.

I’m really now starting to focus on crossing the finish line. The image of pulling into English Harbour and seeing loved ones on the harbour has been keeping me motivated for the last 2 years or so. To put the finish in perspective for you I see it as one of those days that I will never forget and it will rank alongside the following; getting married, seeing your child being born, passing your driving test, remembering where you were when England won the 2003 Rugby World Cup, when 911 happened and when it was announced Princess Diana died. When we hopefully arrive in Antigua it will join that exclusive list and I can’t wait!

My latest top 5 tunes………………

1. Mr Bojangels                                         Robbie Williams           
2. Another Day in Paradise                        Phil Collins  
3. Hurricane                                              Bob Dylan
4. Stand Up As People                              Lee Ryan
5. Can’t Always Get What You Wanted       The Rolling Stones

The row must go on – Antigua here we come.

Barnesy

A few personal messages from me…….

Lizzie Burdge -                         Belated Happy Birthday and please blame my PA for my lateness! Thanks for the cricket goodies before I went away as these were really appreciated.

Geoff and Glenda Bowie  -          Hello in South Africa and thanks for cheering us on from there.

Andy Downie –                                                 Please no more of those jokes – we promise to row quicker! I hope you had a good time in France.

Cath Rogers -                                     Ah, that’s better now we got the whole joke – like it! We’ll make sure we come and see you the next time we’re down in Devon.