Anchor 19:42.031N 31:33.124W
Row Across The Pond
Richard Hoyland and Steve Coe
Thu 28 Jan 2010 11:43
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Had to happen at some time,,, Being stuck on the para Anchor
for a full night and losing approx 10 nautical miles is frustrating. We are
advised we will be affected by this low perhaps until monday.. boo. Nonetheless
this has not stopped us trying to identify the cloud types ourselves
to know where we are in relation centre of the low. We
think we were in an unfavourable part of the low and will experience foul wind
for the time predicted. We are definately unable to determine the size of the
low and whether the whole fleet of ocean rowers is being affected the same
amount This information would be really nice to know. In the meanwhile \we
have to keep busy, somehow! .instantly with a flash of inspiration, it is lets
get busy by catching up on sleep.A full nighter,,, Now, the cabin aft of
the boat is the living and sleeping quarters and usuall only needs to accomodate
one of us at any one time..(one rows one rests) Last night we both
tried to sleep in the confined space, and whilst Richard seemed to succeed upto
a point and determined to get a full night sleep, I on the other hand
found fatal floor in this idea, (of course i would) The way the seas
were building with an increase in wind speed (approx 25 -30knots) it
seemed sensible that we should maintain a watch system,
wind strengths of this magnitude in small boat need respect, All the
while i was thinking like this, there was no chance of sleep. Eventually, a
watch system was in place and the cabin became free for one person to strectch
out in. (Me... no not really) the other banished miserably, (that was
me, 'justifiably so' I hear you say) to the front of the boat to take
shelter from the driving wind and the occassional spoon full of sea water to
assume a watch. A normal whatch system aboard a ship is 4 hours, our shift
timing for the night rowing has been 2 hours, so at about 0300 this morning we
reverted to the 2 on 2 of shift pattern.This will also keep us in he swing of
such a pattern for when we start rowing again.. Without the rowing to wear us
out we are eating less and needing less rest anyway.. this is will make for
seemingly long days and nights, as if they weren't long enough anyway!!! Still
this is just a blip in the sytem and there will be a whole new set of
circumstances to occupy our minds soon.
Hi Mum, so far I have only seen one aircraft since leaving...
it was definitely real and not an imaginary one..
From Richard....
Mind numbingly unbelievably tedious waiting for the wind to
change direction :-( You sit here watching yourself get blown backwards with no
end in sight. We appear to be slap bang in the middle of a low pressure system
and if we are correct the cold front is about to hit? But that's only if our
interpretation of the Captains Quick Guide to Weather Forecasting is
correct...we may as well be deploying pine cones to see if they are opening or
waiting for the telltale twinge of corn/bunions to predict the coming weather
systems. If anyone can interpret passage weather for us? We are at 19'42 N 31'32
W..if that helps, the winds are SW and the centre of the system appears to be
North of us.
As Steve mentioned above, I am managing to sleep in the
confined quarters and would have even managed to sleep on the deck during my
watch this morning...but decide to watch a movie (a swedish vampire film called
Let the Right One In....fantastic film).
Still...keeping the faith and hoping that the wind will shift
:-)
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