Day 146 - Right, That’s It, I’ve Had Enough & Captain’s Blog

October 1, 2009 – 9:40 am

With the strong northerly wind gradually dying away and the sea flatenning off I remembered back to a few months ago when we were getting shoved around by currents in all sorts of directions and being buffetted by the wind and waves. I worked out that without any wind, current or waves we could complete this trip in around 100 days. Damn weather!!

Today we get let off the leash properly for the first time in what feels like ages. Yes there’s a cross wind, yes the waves aren’t really helping us out that much but with a decent heave on the oars we are able to make decent speeds and that is all the incentive I need. I does mean that each session at the oars feels like I’ve just completed a flat out Saturday morning training session at Molesey on the river in 20km of side by side eights work but how I feel is almost an side issue now. Put that to one side for the next 3 weeks and just push on through to the GGB. Come in Bojangles your time is up. Although I’ve got a suspision that this won’t be the last time that that phrase gets used.

Anyway, while I get back to the oars it’s over to Mick for the September Captain’s Blog.

Captain’s Blog (”Last” One): A Bridge Plenty Far Enough…

	Rowing Hard (Click To Enlarge)

On the last blog I finished off saying October 15th or there abouts was a talking point for finishing, providing September was good to us. Well I think we can safely rule out the 15th now, even though September has been a pretty good month but there abouts; say ‘Trafalgar Day’ (Thanks for that Tracey) a week later that might be a little more manageable.

As you’ll have seen on the chart update we’ve made great progress throughout September only being stalled in the last third by unfavourable winds obviously sent to keep us on our toes. It’s become decidedly chillier out here (phots can be deceptive) and we’ve had numerous gales to contend with from Force 10 down but even some of these have been considerate enough to come from the west and help us on our way so we can’t complain.

Most crucially and to allay any worries about our Northerly course we’ve made much needed ground North during September. If we’re to make it into San Fran’ unsupported then these (and a few more) miles north will be critical later.

We’ve also become the longest (Sea time) double male crew ever and crossed the 1000NM’s to do point. What do these things mean? Well they’re obviously positive milestones counting down our progress but in reality nothing more than that.

Tim Welford and Dom Mee who’s time at sea record we passed at 136 days are good friends of mine and I’ve never heard either of them refer to that record, primarily I think because their row across the north Pacific was ended before the San Fran’ finish they’d worked so hard for. Time at sea meant nothing to them finishing meant everything.

The 1000 miles to do point had most significance for us because that’s when the deck GPS repeater unit (The display on deck that gives us heading/course/speed etc) had a three digit display for ‘miles to do’ and we’ve been waiting this long for it to change from 999.

Of course its’ great that we finally have less than a thousand miles to do but a thousand miles (Or nearer 800 miles by the time you read this with a bit of luck) out in the North Pacific as October draws near is a dangerous place to be and we’re very much aware we’re still picnicking on the railway tracks so to speak until we get in.

I point this out not because I’m anything less than confident we can make it in but purely to keep everyone’s feet on the ground (including our own) as to what still remains to be done for this voyage to be a success. We’re now in the hardest part of the row in the harshest conditions and nothing is a ‘given.’ Please don’t fall into the trap of just assuming it’s a matter of time now, Chris and I have the hardest few weeks of our lives ahead of us to make this epic voyage the success it deserves to be.

Healthy dose of reality said though, we couldn’t be in better shape to deal with whatever comes. Bo is, as expected, a fabulous sea boat and has served us well throughout all the storms we’ve dealt with and, as we’ve demonstrated throughout the row and particularly in September, given the conditions she’ll eat up the miles.

Morale is high on board despite the exertions of the past months and only our ‘Big Hair’ is higher, more on that subject later.

Physically and mentally the trip has quite naturally taken its toll, but we both have plenty left in the tank. We’ve worked hard to get to this point and effectively we now have our ‘moon shot’ as a result, one hit at putting Bo alongside in San Francisco unsupported. I’m confident as I have been throughout this trip that we can pull it off, if for any reason we fail to do that rest assured it won’t be through lack of effort.

Neil Kent

Congratulations to Neil on coming second in the legendary Isle of Mann Manx GT Motorcycle race. As Neil mentions on the comments in September he was racing side by side with a 26 year old for the duration of a 150 mile race round country lanes and village streets at a speed averaging over 113 miles per hour. (A speed I’m only happy to achieve just before take off).

Beaten on the line by only a couple of hundredth of a second it shows there’s plenty of life in the old dog yet. It also confirms what I’ve always been worried about; that racing in your grandads braces it was only a matter of time before someones brake handle snagged them. We should all breathe a sigh of relief that you managed to unhook them just in time to let the youngster win…

Bet you thought you’d have to start side car racing to stay that close to a ‘top doer’ again mate.

Big Hair!

As we will both be seeking gainful employment upon our return to ‘normality’ and dry land, one regular topic of conversation is avenues of career change. One prospect that seems to have emerged as a result of the length of time we’ve spent at sea is that of ‘Barber Shop’ haircut photo models.

Our hair that seems to have grown in direct opposition to our weight loss is now verging on the ‘extreme’

We both have a number of ‘Blue Steel’ looks (Watch Zoolander if you don’t get that) which we intend to incorporate in our Barber Shop Photo Model Portfolio when we get back:

This one is known as my: Post Ironic Laconic Overtly Cool Kelp.

P.I.L.O.C.K.

This is Chris’s: Retro Angular Vectored Intuitive Neo Gothic

R.A.V.I.N.G.

I also have my ultimate Blue steel Big Hair phot’ but you’re just not ready to see my for that. So don’t be asking for it! Don’t you be asking to see my; Aura Reality Sympatico Empathy Shot.

Military Reflections

I was trying to think of a suitable military comparison to our final against the odds battle with the North Pacific, just to sign off in stirring fashion.

Operation Market Garden during the second world war, where when a group of English Paratroopers desperately holding on to a positon on one of the Bridges and hopelessly outnumbered were approached by a German with a white flag. He informed them that he’d come to discuss surrender terms to which the commander of the paras replied he was in no postion to take prisoners…

Then again that operation became known as a Bridge too far so that wouldn’t be appropriate. Plus ‘Airborne Bob’ and a number of other former Paratroopers who I’m happy to whisper are friends would never let me hear the end of it.

The Charge of the lightbrigade? During the Crimean war when the cream of the British Light cavalry was destroyed charging artillery positons. Or more accurately the wrong artillery positions. As the Commanding officer amazingly still alive after leading the doomed charge and his horse still intact returned to his lines, one of his men unsurprisingly horseless asked, ‘Go again sir?’

I feel somehow that one is more apt for my last trip out here and we both agree there will be no, ‘going again,’ on the Pacific.

Whatabout the Battle of Themopalai, where 300 Spartans (Plus 4,500 Greeks who seldom get a mention) fought against impossible odds to hold back the hordes of the Persian army for the duration of a bank holiday weekend? It was a possibility but we all know how that one ends…

Of course when it comes to it there can only be one military comparison appropriately enough, ‘The Battle of Trafalgar.’ Not because of the bold and courageous actions of anyone involved, be they, British, French or Spanish. Simply because when all the smoke had settled on the battle and Victors and Vanquished were counting their gains and their losses, the mighty Atlantic then rose up and effortlessly smashed the remains of both fleets inflicting I believe I’m right in saying more ship losses than the battle itself. A timely reminder that when we set forth on the ocean on any vessel ultimately the ocean calls the shots.

It only remains for me to thank everyone who’s followed the trip, covertly and overtly. We hope you’ve got one tenth of the enjoyment from it that we have without the weight loss and blisters (Except you Neil but that’s an entirely unconnected disorder…).

And Finally

We’ve had many good luck messages and if we’ve failed to respond individually we apologise but assure you every message is gratefully received and has been a big help on our voyage.

Thanks to my family who as ever, even in particularly difficult circumstances have been fabulous and Grace my patient and lovely wife. See you all soon.

Keep your fingers crossed for us in October and with a bit of luck we’ll have something to celebrate on or around Trafalgar Day in addition to our Great, great, great, great, great Grandfathers giving it to our European neighbours big time.

Say no more…

Mick

40°27′40”N 139°23′44”W
Chris & Mick travelled 34.8 miles East (heading 96.4°) on day 146
They ended 923.3 miles from San Francisco (34.8 miles closer than yesterday)
They covered miles 4124 to 4159 of the trip
Their average pace so far has been 28.5 miles/day towards San Francisco
They have 32.4 days remaining at this rate, so would arrive in San Francisco on 2 Nov 2009
Their target heading for the shortest route to San Francisco is East (heading 95.9°)
See where the boat is