Day 119 - Hydrophobic and Hydrophillic
September 4, 2009 – 8:40 amAfter a few days of being at sea I realised that there was a major difference between Mick and myself. I am hydrophobic and Mick is hydrophillic. Mick will think nothing of sitting down on a damp seat to cook a meal whereas I’ll be searching around for any scrap of plastic bag to perch half my rear end on and keep it dry let alone all of it. I’ll dive for cover or grab my waterproof jacket at the first sign of a spit of rain in the air but Mick will just laugh at me as seconds later after a lot of me fussing around the rain generally stops.
Last night was one of those evenings that hilighted it more than usual. With a few minutes to go until my post dinner shift ended there was the mearest hint of drizzle so I asked Mick (sitting in front of me packing the cooker away) to pass out my waterproof jacket. This he did with a smile on his face. Seconds later the precipitation simply disapeared. I can only think that I need some Marine training to toughen me up!
The main reason though why I think I’m hydrophobic is that out here you never know when you’re going to be able to get dry again. It could be the next shift be it could also be in two weeks time. Being soggy for a long period of time really isn’t my idea of a fun time.
The wind’s been moving around over the last day and at one stage was blowing against us with a light head breeze, but it’s starting to come back into line again now so we should be on for a reasonable mileage today and another good one again tomorrow.
Also a special mention today for Neil Kent our bike riding one man support squad who came out to Choshi to see us off. He’s riding in the Manx Grand Prix and finished after the first days racing in first place for his bike class (250). He’s got one more race to go. Good luck Kenty. Just the thought of being able to go 113mph makes my hair stand on end after 4 months of going 3mph let alone maintaining an average speed of more than that round a course like the Manx.
Hellraising.
37°31′59”N 156°39′21”W
Chris & Mick travelled 41.5 miles East (heading 94.6°) on day 119
They ended 1858.6 miles from San Francisco (39.9 miles closer than yesterday)
They covered miles 3183 to 3223 of the trip
Their average pace so far has been 27.1 miles/day towards San Francisco
They have 68.6 days remaining at this rate, so would arrive in San Francisco on 11 Nov 2009
Their target heading for the shortest route to San Francisco is East (heading 78.8°)
See where the boat is
Sponsor Thanks
Thanks today go to Ryan Mulcahy who sponsored miles 3200-3201. The boys covered these at around mid-day yesterday.
Would you like to sponsor a mile?
Click on Mick and Chris to see where the boat is
13 Responses to “Day 119 - Hydrophobic and Hydrophillic”
41 miles - another sterling performance, keep it up fellas and you’ll be there in no time.
Last night Grace and I met a couple of mum and dads friends in the local who’s son has rowed for Cambridge. Told them about GGE and one of the first q’s they asked about publicity and who was looking after the publicity aspect. They seem to know a lot about this kind of stuff. I’ll send them the GGE address as they are quite interested and update you if they come up with any suggestions.
Aye
TLM
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Sep 4, 2009
So being wet isnt your idea of fun.
but months on end being alone in the Atlantic OCEAN (slightly moist) and with one other person in the pacific (Again on the damp side of things) that’s a complete barrel of laughs, you’re Nuts.
By Fat Bloke on Sep 4, 2009
Another solid performance guys;well done.i can only imagine what being wet and cold really feels like and being like that for 6months?that’s scary…it will soon be over;keep your chins up and think positively.
Congratulations to Neil Kent from me and all the people at the Cowbridge House Inn in Boston,we love you and you are doing us proud…come to think of it;why do people from Boston always do crazy stuff??????
By Grace Dawson on Sep 4, 2009
Chris I can empathise with the dampness, I was running late this morning so didn’t dry myself properly after my shower, still a bit damp round the old crown jewels now.
By Biff on Sep 4, 2009
Chris - as my old coach said after I bitched and moaned my way through a whole Henley season sat behind Miss Backsplash Tastic, “rowing is a water sport”
By Margaret on Sep 4, 2009
water sport my arse ! The only wetness I want is a sweatpatch. I hate flippin’ rain, it always used to wait for my shift.. stinging rain, sidewards rain, rain in yer face, that sort of mist that isn’t really rain but gets you wet anyway, rain when you haven’t got any dry clothes left, rain when you’ve just dried off your clothes, biblical rain that shorts your deck compass so it catches fire
AAARRGHH !
Biff..jewels? I was eating breakfast, marmite & toast didn’t taste quite the same !
“Crevice” is a dirty word
“Moist” now thats a really dirty word
By Cath on Sep 4, 2009
Margaret, I can certainly empathise with you on that one…but mine was called Captain Splashy. I swear that after some outings there was more water in my footwell and soaked into my kit than there was in the river.
Still, at least we could go for a hot shower after the soakings…how Chris & Mick cope (let alone smell!) without that luxury, is beyond me. They are properly hard core!
Biff - slightly more info than any of us needed.
Have a good weekend all,
Regards,
CoV
By Captain of Vice on Sep 4, 2009
Hello Chris and Mick
Liked and fully appreciated Cath’s comment about wetness - as I am sure you do too!! Actually I think you lads are better off out there in the North Pacific at the moment because Cornwall was wetter than that yesterday. I had to go out twice yesterday and on each occasion returned home absolutely soaking wet - so I don’t know what Biff is worried about!
Keeeeeeep dry, keeeeeeep smiling, keeeeeep rowing well and keeeeeeep safe.
By Sue from Cornwall on Sep 4, 2009
Here’s the science bit on your situation Chris - Hydrophobic molecules tend to be non-polar and thus prefer other neutral molecules and nonpolar solvents. Hydrophobic molecules in water often cluster together forming micelles. Water on hydrophobic surfaces will exhibit a high contact angle.
As examples of hydrophobic molecules include oils and fats, and greasy substances in general perhaps a solution to your damp situation would be to cover yourself in these?
Did search to see if I could identify how wet water is, and was there some kind of measure for this, however the closest I could find was that if you feel wet, and look wet then in all likelyhood you probably are wet! (there was one in there about smelling wet too, but as Biff has already given us way more info that was required I have excluded that bit!)
Keep rowing regardless of the precipitation levels! Just round the next corner is a dirty great bridge - promise!
By Dizzie Blonde on Sep 4, 2009
Ah Dizzie Blonde - my head’s in a spin! Identifying how wet water is…. wetter than anything, I would have thought! Too much wetness could cause brain rot - that’s probably what I’ve got!
By Sue from Cornwall on Sep 4, 2009
Baaaahhh young Tommy all this chat of BOTTOMS reminds me of when the WInchester flower arranging team beat Harrow by 12 sore bottoms to one.
Onwards to vitory, wish was out there with you. Damn this Chateau Lafite.
By General Melchett on Sep 4, 2009
All this talk about being wet must make Chris and Mick wish they were already in San Francisco! Keep going lads - you’re doing fine. Howzabout some more photos - or is the weather a bit too dull at the moment?
Good to see General Melchett on the blog!
Keeeeeeeep smiling, keeeeeeeep rowing and keeeeeeeep safe.
By Sue from Cornwall on Sep 4, 2009
Greetings, chaps. Serious mileage - over 100 miles in two days! That’s just the ticket!
During our few days at Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales, I promised a mention, nay a warm welcome on our website, to the following:
Anne and (another) Chris - fellow guests at the excellent New Laithe [B & B Guest] House.
Tony and Norma - whom we met during an evening meal at the Devonshire Hotel.
While “oop North”, one of our highlights was attending the famous ‘Kilnsey Show’. This year, its main claim to fame was having over an inch of rain fall in just five hours during the previous night. The resulting conditions, 5-10 inches of mud together with the occasional pond, were so bad that it made the Glastonbury Festival look like the Sahara Desert. There was a genuine risk of cancellation, but they’re made of stern stuff in Yorkshire, and went ahead regardless. I should explain that Kilnsey is a tiny village, with just a few cottages and one pub, yet every year about 10,000 visitors turn up to support the event. You know the sort of thing: vintage tractors; flower arrangements; carved walking sticks; dry stone walling; sheep dog trials (they were all not guilty!); prize vegetables; stalls selling everything from handicrafts to widgets; trotting-type races; showing and judging of carthorses, cattle and sheep; and……..fell races.
There were three images, all with a common theme, which stuck in my mind from these races, and I’d like to share them with you.
The first was the race for under-12s, which was started just at the beginning of a particularly heavy downpour with strong gusts of wind. Some of the competitors seemed substantially under 12 and in grave danger of being blown over. It didn’t matter; they set off and maintained a cracking pace; and every entrant gave it everything they’d got.
The second concerned the race for under-14s, which was run simultaneously with that for under-17s. After barely 100 yards, one young rather overweight lad, dressed in trousers rather than shorts, was already behind the others. We watched him slow to a walk at the steepest part of the course, then pick up the pace again when the incline permitted. After about 25 minutes, having climbed and descended the crag, he was last by quite a long margin. It didn’t matter. He kept going and received a spontaneous and utterly genuine ovation as he turned into the final straight. Everyone was cheering, and the lad was beaming from ear-to-ear. It was positively heartwarming!
The third image concerned a male runner during the race for ’seniors’. On his way down, he lost his grip on the treacherous rain-sodden surface at one of the steepest parts of the course and completed several somersaults and cartwheels across the loose stones and rocks. There was a collective gasp from many spectators before he quickly regained his footing, and hurried on without further delay.
The common theme?………stickability! I watched them all and thought of you guys, who have elevated stickability into an art-form!
Stay safe, good sirs! The countdown is underway. Although there is some way to go, you too are on the home straight, but please don’t get complacent. Hatches shut and lines on at all times. Here endeth the sermon.
By Dad Martin on Sep 5, 2009