----- 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
:-)
