Day 152 - We Have Connection And The Last Few Days
October 7, 2009 – 7:30 am A Right Whale (Click To Enlarge) |
What a few days! Blimey. Firstly the connection between the phone and the laptop refused to work which meant that our blog didn’t go to Richard as usual. Then the text message that we sent didn’t get through for no reason that we can work out. Then I hear that the tracking service has paused (although this isn’t anything wrong on our boat).
I am very happy to report that after 2 days of working with a Leatherman in the cabin in bouncy seas on a delicate electrical cable I managed to mend the broken connection. How long this lasts with the salty air and with the movement of being thrown around on the sea is unknown but hopefully it might just be enough to get us to the USA.
I’ve never had a problem quite that tough to sort out at sea and I’m very happy that it’s now mended so we can continue to keep you up to date with the final stages of our trip. Do PC World do a prize for sorting out digital electrical connections at sea?
Unfortunatley the weather really hasn’t been kind to us. We’ve been forging east as rapidly as we can but unfortunetely the wind has finally halted our progress in a part of the ocean where we really shouldn’t expect this to happen. It looks as though we’ve only got this for another day and a bit though before we’re let off the hook and are released back in the hunt. The important thing first is to get some north back that we’ve lost recently. We know that after 130W the wind will be mainly if not only blowing from the north so if we don’t want to miss SF then we need to get a bit further north before then. Keep your fingers crossed though that there are no more surprises I’m not sure I could cope with that.
Yesterday we were visited by a LARGE whale and thankfully for a reasonable period of time too. It’s been ages since we’ve seen any whales or dolphins so we were thrilled and spent around an hour taking lots of photos and video. Just as the whale hadn’t been seen for a while and I crawled in the cabin, back it would come and surface near the boat again and again.
We’ve been trying to spend the time on the sea anchor doing useful things but of course after all the jobs are done there is little left to finish other than resting. However, I did remember that on the removable hard drive that I use to back up all the images and video that we take I also had a copy of a cine film that my grandfather made about Kettlewell in 1967. Also to be found was a magnetic chess set that my auntie had given me before the off (Thanks Hil). So we’ve had a film night followed by the draughts championship of the North Pacific. My brain really has slowed up and I’m only ever able to beat Mick before about 3pm, after that it really must be like shooting fish in a barrel for him as I forget the rules, try to move my pieces backwards and generally don’t see that most obvious game winning moves. Currently the score stands at 17-4 to Mick (Oh dear me) with one stalemate. I can only hope that this improves soon otherwise I’ll never be able to show my face in polite society again.
We’re doing okay out here at the moment. Personally it’s been soul destroying watching as our target dates for hitting land have slid back and back. It feels like I’ve been aiming at a moving target and it’s been set at 30 days to go for a lot longer than that! It’s a horrible stimid feeling.
The only thing that is getting me through though is the thought of being with friends and family again in San Francisco. This is a long trip, much longer than we had hoped for or even expected but we’re near the end now but in the same way that the darkest (and coldest) bit of the night is just before the dawn, the last few days have been the most difficult and challenging for me. Ocean rowing really isn’t just about the rowing, in fact it really isn’t much about rowing at all.
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39°41′57”N 137°38′41”W
Chris & Mick travelled 7.4 miles South-West (heading 234.2°) on day 152
They ended 826.4 miles from San Francisco (5.7 miles further away than yesterday)
They covered miles 4261 to 4255 of the trip
Their average pace so far has been 28.0 miles/day towards San Francisco
They have 29.5 days remaining at this rate, so would arrive in San Francisco on 5 Nov 2009
Their target heading for the shortest route to San Francisco is East (heading 94.2°)
See where the boat is
Click on Mick and Chris to see where the boat is
14 Responses to “Day 152 - We Have Connection And The Last Few Days”
Amazing whale photos! Chris we are all indebted to you and your Leatherman, you are the most resourceful person I know. Forget Jim, it’s Chris’ll fix it.
It’s the final stretch, boathouse is in sight and the banks are lined with all your fans, we are so proud of you both. When it’s your darkest part of the night mid-Pacific, you are not alone - it’s daytime in England and your countless supporters here are cheering you on! x
By Horsey Claire on Oct 7, 2009
Great to see you are back in action again, lovely photos. Glad you have managed some sleep. Can’t imagine that you can watch pictures of Kettlewell in the Pacific Ocean…weird, but hopefully it will spur you and the weather on to get you to solid land soon. Perhaps all the supporters need to organise a joint wish for moderate wind and waves taking you straight to SF.
By anthill on Oct 7, 2009
Good morning (or Evening) Chris and Mick
How nice to have you back in communication with us - we really missed your daily blogs. Also, welcome back to Horsey Claire - and well done for being first on the blog today - where have you been - on a long holiday somewhere nice?? Loved the pictures of your LARGE Whale, C and M - was it bigger than Bo? - Maybe it was a boy and was sniffing around Bo ….. As usual, I wish you both well so keeeeeeeeeep smiling, keeeeeeeeeep rowing when you can, keeeeeeeep warm and keeeeeeeeeep safe.
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 7, 2009
Hi guys,
Welldone Chris for a good job fixing the comm.problems and for putting up the blog again.Glad everything is fine at the boat and that you guys are well rested now and feeling good although deflating i know to see those days of anchor go to waste when you would have covered good mileage.hopefully things will pick up and you’ll be on the move again;just want this to be over now…Keep safe and god speed.
NB:Love the pixs of the whales…
By Grace Dawson on Oct 7, 2009
nice factioning on the laptop connection guys ! ( Faction: new word created during Big Water crossing, meaning to bastardise in the face of adversity ) How much duct tape & how many cable ties were used?.. you get bonus points for getting cling film into the solution
Apologs for my minimal bloggin, have ony limted access to ‘puter whilst I’m “between jobs”, will be back on line from Monday 12th hopefully, if I can sneek a Google in at new workplace
Fantastic whale piccies, am most jealous. Let us all know if you need another en masse sacrifice to keep those rotten winds at bay.. I can think of quite a few things that need a good burning
Keep well
By Cath on Oct 7, 2009
Polite society ? Your a member of Molesey Boat Club and Remigium , so no problem there then !
By Vince on Oct 7, 2009
‘Polite Society’ - don’t worry Chris, Mick is a regular at The Popeyes Arms and that place and it’s inhabitants are about as far removed from polite as you can get!
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 7, 2009
Chris - don’t keep the magnetic chess set and the hard disk together (silly boy).
Also, for your connector problems, and I’m speculating wildly now, if its the row of (hard to remember) 8 copper plated brass connectors about 1mm by 0.5mm at the bottom of the phone that is giving you trouble, use a cloth with WD40 to clean them. Then use the rubber from your chart tables to polish. Do the same for the lead.
This is more or less what I’d do ‘in the laser lab’ so a bush fix will be just as good.
However, if you’ve scratched all the copper off with your leatherman… just use a sh** load of gaffa-tape.
By Laser.Beam on Oct 7, 2009
forgot to say - once clean give a thin coat of vaslene to protect.
By Laser.Beam on Oct 7, 2009
Sandra - Brilliant! What would we do without Sandra? Yep, it was Chris’ girlfriend who gave him the Leatherman. Delighted you put it to good use, Chris. Well done, that man!
Anthill - Magnetic chess set: positively inspired!
LB - Serious practical advice. Bravo!
Webmaster Richard - Fantastic effort in keeping us informed, getting everything back on track and frankly, being positively indispensible! Many thanks from all of us!
Class 5 - Sorry about the delay of this week’s jokes. Circumstances beyond our control, and all that:
Q. Where do geologists go for entertainment?
A. Rock concerts.
Q. What sort of cake do you eat in the bath?
A. A sponge.
Q. Which two letters are bad for your teeth?
A. DK.
Q. What is a hedgehog’s favourite packet of crisps?
A. Prickled onion.
Keep safe, guys. We’re all still with you.
By Dad Martin on Oct 7, 2009
Fantastic images you are collecting along the way. Glad your comms is back up and running, well done both of you (and Rich too) Stay safe, row a bit too if you can!
By Dizzie Blonde on Oct 7, 2009
Right, you’ve got the right whale, now all you need is the right weather, right? Maybe try a word with that nice Mr Bruce?
By Dad Martin on Oct 7, 2009
Q. Which two letters are bad for your teeth?
A. DK
That should have been a joke from me. Have been following your progress and cannot believe the stamina and dogged determination of you guys. Keep it up, it’s too late to go back now!
Glenn Rochester
By Glenn on Oct 8, 2009
Hi Guys
Here I am again, probably the last to blog for today - just to make the number up to 14!! Hope all is well out there on Bo - keeeeeeeep smiling, keeeeeeeeep rowing and keeeeeeeep safe.
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 8, 2009