----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 2:41
PM
Subject: Speed is the name of the
game
Rich.....
785 miles to go to Antigua and we have a rare treat of a
weather system pushing us in the right direction. I'm not joking when I say
I can't remember the last time we got 2.5+ knot seas pushing us towards our
goal..to say this years race has been a challenge is a distinct
understatement. Every mile has been gouged out, without the help of the
Atlantic. We are further South now than previously and hope that this
also helps our cause a little, it can't hurt as we weren't getting much
luck up in the 18N's. So we'll enjoy the conditions while they
last and not get our hopes up too much.
But...the forecast is for ENE/NE/ESE winds for the
remainder of the week, which would be nice :-) One thing
it does make you do is appreciate the opportunity while it is there and
we are both getting as much speed/mileage out of the current
weather...working hard. In two back to back rowing
sessions last night, 1 for me and 1 for Steve..we did 11.2 miles...as much
as one week on the anchor!
We're seeing loads more birds as we
get closer to our destination...lots of Frigate birds, a variety of
gulls that sit on the wave tops and hunt in groups diving in the catch
smaller fish...along with Kevin's.
Last night dolphins swam alongside the boat at dusk,
leaping out in front of the bow and tracking alongside us for at least
30 mins. An amazingly moving sight, great for morale. This is the first time
that dolphins seem to have been interested in the boat...pehaps we were
travelling too slow before ;-)
I must say that we have been lucky with wildlife,
perhaps due to the delays to our crossing but we must have
seen more than previous years races..probably the time we've spent on
the para-anchor!
We're getting so matter of fact about seeing
whales/dolphins that we don't note them down in the blog all the
time...maybe the Atlantic has now become our new neighbourhood...anybody who
has seen the appalling Kevin Costner film Waterworld, it's nothing like that
honest ;-)
Just got off of the oars and was rowing up their in the
sun when a quick rainstorm hit the boat...it was the closest we've
come to a shower and was a fantastic treat, getting pelted with fresh cold
water (without salt)...nature's powershower...wheres the soap on a rope when
you need it?
A quick response to a message of support and questions posed
by MP David Blunkett about our campaign. David, many thanks for
your kind words of support and for helping out with our charity goal. On the
food side, we are eating dehydrated rations (similar to those used by
polar/mountain explorers)..from Chilli con carne to Shepherd's Pie...just
what you need on a boiling hot day, Shepherd's Pie! As a rare treat we have
some hydrated food packs randomly added in...Lancashire Hot Pot or Steak and
Vegetables. It's not fine dining but all fuel for the engine. We also have
snack bags of chocolate, sweets...not exactly a balance diet!
All non-sports fans can ignore the next paragraph: As an
avid Manchester City fan, I hear that we had a victory over Chelsea...big
apologies to my son Ben, who is a Chelsea fan, but... "we are City, super
City, we are City from Maine Road" :-) (I know City have moved grounds
before anyone comments..but you never forget the Kippax).
To Kim Van Kets, it was great meeting up with Mr VK in the
middle of the Big Water...don't forget to add the shots of me swimming to
his boat in the next video (joking). Meeting up
with Pete was a highlight, and it seems to have brought us luck with the
wind! Maybe there's a new marketing opportunity for you..lucky PVK dolls
;-)
The boat is happy...all external worries have been put
aside for the this week...we're going to row hard for home
:-)
