Positivity is the name of the game 17:25.000N 46:58.000W
Row Across The Pond
Richard Hoyland and Steve Coe
Sat 27 Feb 2010 21:39
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Rich....
After a tricky couple of days, things are starting to look up
and there is a glimpse of hope on the horizon. We've been battling winds in the
wrong direction and the dreaded Para-anchor has been out on a few occasions to
stop us drifting backwards when we cannot make headway.
Today we got some westerly winds, which we can do something
with, so we're adapting our game plan to suit the prevailing conditions. We are
flying along and hope to be at at our desired target location in the early
morning...not giving anything away here ;-)
Had a great day and that mostly thanks to Peter Van Ket,
who we bumped into today (as you do) in the middle of the Atlantic. We met up
with Pete and spent time chatting about weather and the journey so far and
importantly our opinions as to how it would play out. Swimming over to
his boat was strange, seemed like a good idea at the time, then you
think...gulp...I'm swimming in open water that is miles and miles deep full of
things with very large teeth and big appetites!
[To any of Pete's supported in SA, he's doing really
well, is a master fisherman and doesn't at all look like a beanpole (Pete's own
_expression_)]. You can't believe the positive influence that just talking to
another human being can have out here...I've not seen anyone else for nearly
two months (apart from Steve).
We've been tracking along on a similar course for the majority
of the day and have just signed off on the radio, as we will continue to row
when Pete rests up.
Its the travelling partners that we have for parts of the
journey that make it worthwhile, today our journey was all the richer for
sharing it with another ocean rower :-)
We also had a massive pod of wild dolphins, rounding up fish
as a group..amazing to see them work together to catch their prey. Steve dived
in to swim with them but didn't quite get to interact with them up
close...shame.
Hi Abi, No Fear is a girl, I think all boats have to be
don't they? We intend to sell the boat on to a competitor for the next race or
to an independent rower..we bought it off two guys who crossed in 2007.
Thanks for your support, we will be positive from now on, honest
:-)
Pete, don't quit the day job to be a motivational coach,
I fear people would be throwing themselves off of buildings ;-) Keep the beer on
ice.
steve
Pete the South African we me up with today is a solo rower,,
he also rowed the event two years ago in a pair and won the race,, no mean
feat.. So to bump into Pete a few thousand miles from shore was a real treat.. I
must confess I feel a little sad for having left him all alone again and I
have been wondeing how he feeling having had a brief visit from
us, only then to watch us row away ,, infront i hasten to add.
We were to join pete for a bit of sushi,, and he offered to
catch some dorado.. when we arrived pete was wrestling with the most
enormous beatiful green coloured fish.. (got photo) Rightly so, it was just too
large for the three of us and it would have been wasteful as we could not have
eaten all this monster.. the Fish was released to swim another
day..
This year has been and continues to be exceptional with regard
the failure of those otherwise trusty trade winds,, Without which the challlenge
is even greater than ever.. However,A sense of humour must prevail and
yesterday i was delighted to be rowing with a tail wind and marching along
quite merrily,, A tail wind thats strange havent
one of those for a while, things must be looking up.. Typically though we
did not have a tail wind, i was rowing in the wrong direction,, eastwards.. but
believe me it was enjoyable,,
I think i must have undersold my experience of being visited
yesterday by several whales at sunrise,, but you just have to believe me it was
worth every oar stroke to witness.. mm am i sure about that,, at the time
certainly yes,, and a memory for sure.. Today witnessed the brutallity of nature
and this time it was a school of dolphins roudind up their prey,, i even managed
to get this scene on camera.. A couple of young whales came by, so quickly dived
in but they were a little shy and i just saw them swim off.
We have found out kev is a storm petrel and the big bird is a
land bird (which is a good sign) which is a Frigate bird..
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