Day 154 - Connections
October 9, 2009 – 9:15 amToday has been a day for mending connections. It really is a full time job as the salt and general wear and tear have really taken their toll not only on the crew but on all our equipment especially anything electrical.
Amazingly after refusing to connect last night the data connection for the sat phone worked first time. Unfortunately we then received news that the tracking unit hadn’t sent a position for 15 hours so it was off up to the bows with the cooker to re-solder the power connection that had been eaten by salt water corrosion. In order to do our best to keep the unit watertight though I had to use the last of our insulating tape. We’ve only got medical tape left…eek!
After that it was my phone charger connection. Since Tempra-mental the alarm clock has been relieved from active duty after a spate of no alarms I’ve been using my mobile phone that also doubles as the music player for the boat and the charger has been sporadically working for the last month or so. I was able to cobble something together but it’s all held together with plasters and looks like it’s had a horrible injury. It should last out the trip though despite looking more at home in an intensive care ward.
We’ve now taken to the oars and are busy heading north. It looks like we’ve got quite a bit of weather on the way. The bit I think is going to be most interesting is when we pass through a front where on one side of it we have 30kt of wind from the SSE and on the other side we have up to 30kt of wind from the NW. That is going to be seriously lumpy! Still it’s nothing that we haven’t dealt with before. The main thing is that the sea anchor is in and we are on our way again. North first then East. San Francisco here we come.
Mick (and I) would like to wish Grace, his wife, a very Happy Birthday. Many happy returns Grace!
39°47′24”N 137°48′14”W
Chris & Mick travelled 7.4 miles North-North-West (heading 345.5°) on day 154
They ended 835.3 miles from San Francisco (2.4 miles further away than yesterday)
They covered miles 4249 to 4247 of the trip
Their average pace so far has been 27.6 miles/day towards San Francisco
They have 30.3 days remaining at this rate, so would arrive in San Francisco on 8 Nov 2009
Their target heading for the shortest route to San Francisco is East (heading 94.5°)
See where the boat is
Sponsor Thanks
Thanks today go to Chris’ Great Auntie Anne Ludlow who sponsored mile 4242. The boys covered this a few days ago on day 149.
Would you like to sponsor a mile?
Click on Mick and Chris to see where the boat is
21 Responses to “Day 154 - Connections”
Thanxs guys and so glad you are well on your way again…goodluck
By Grace Dawson on Oct 9, 2009
Happy Birthday to Grace…I bet this is the longest time Mick’s been out shopping for a bunch of flowers?
By Captain of Vice on Oct 9, 2009
Good Morning Doctor Chris and Captain Mick
Firstly, Happy Birthday Grace! I’m sure you will have a second celebration once Mick is back on dry land. Well done Doctor Chris on applying medical care to your various electronic gadgets - let’s hope the elastoplast remains waterproof for the remainder of your trip. Good luck with the weather. Keeeeeeeep smiling, keeeeeeep rowing and keeeeeep safe.
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 9, 2009
Happy birthday Gracie, I’ll have a quiet one for you in The Popeyes.
Lord, take me back unto the land,
Where they don’t, scrub down with sand
Where no demon typhoon blows;
Where my shipmates wash their clothes.
Lord please guard me in my slumber,
And keep this hammock on it’s number,
May no clews nor lashings break;
And let me down ‘fore I awake.
Lord please guide our vessel ‘Bo’
With alacrity - to San Francisco
We’ll even let you be First Mate
On the stretch beneath - the Golden Gate
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 9, 2009
Keep up the factioning action. Soldering, plasters, now all you need is a bit of spit and you’re good to go. Miserable weather here today so am daydreaming about going back to Oz for the winter (Sydney summer - lovely).
By Margaret on Oct 9, 2009
Head east you plonkers… EAST
By Laser.Beam on Oct 9, 2009
Happy Birthday Grace. I’m sure it won’t be too long before your man is home.
Hi Chris and Mick
I’m back again. Been to Paris for a few days. Meanwhile you have had a hellish week one way or another. So glad you are back on the oars, long may it last.
While you’ve be sitting on the sea anchor you must have wondered “why on earth are we doing this”.
This poem came to mind. I hope it helps.
RISKS
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool
To weep is to risk being called sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk showing your true self
To place your ideas and your dreams before the crowd is to risk being called naive
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure
But risks must be taken, because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing
The person who risks nothing, does nothing has nothing, is nothing and becomes nothing
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,but he simply cannot learn,feel,change, grow or love
Chained by this cetitude, he is a slave; he has forfeited his freedom
Only the person who risks is truly free.
Janet Rand
My fingers are crossed for all you need to get you home quickly and safely.
I have been listening to Desert Island Discs with Ellen MacArthur - what a lovely girl. She told us how it was for her to reach land and I kept on thinking of you two. Just think…..
So keep focussed it won’t be long now
xx
By great auntie anne (ludlow) on Oct 9, 2009
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
To those in the arena, we salute you. There will be no coming up short; there will be no failing whilst daring greatly; there will only be celebration of your victory, by we - the timid and weak who will never savour the personal taste of your achievement.
Aye
TLM
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 9, 2009
Thanxs everybody for the birthday wishes;much appreciated.Kisses
@ TLWM:wish i was having that quiet one with ya…
@ CAPTAIN OF VICE:you’ll be surprised to know the flowers arrived this morning
@ MICK:Darling i loooooooove the flowers,absolutely gorgeous.You always find a way to sweep me off my feet even when you are a million miles away…i love you forever.kisses
By Grace Dawson on Oct 9, 2009
Oooh I see some of us have become all poetical today - GREAT STUFF! Keep em coming! Hope C and M’s internet communication equipment is working okay so they can enjoy reading them all.
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 9, 2009
Grace - A Very Happy Birthday! I don’t know, Mick (and Chris) put ordinary mortal men to shame, conjuring up bouquets of flowers out of the Pacific Ocean. Seriously impressive!
Great Auntie Anne (from Ludlow) and TLWM - Many thanks for today’s messages; top quality poetry and prose. It’s definitely lump-in-throat time!!! Amen to both!
Actually, Anne, I too heard the Ellen MacArthur programme on Sunday and was so impressed that I recorded it for the lads to hear on their return. One of the main items of news was her decision to embrace a sustainable lifestyle and become an environmental campaigner.
“After camping on South Georgia for two months, for the first time I actually stopped. I realised that on land we don’t see things as precious any more. We take what we want. And it started to make me think. I was looking at plans for the future and it hit home to me.
“This world, that I thought as a child was the biggest, most adventurous place you could imagine, is not that big. And there’s an awful lot of us on it. And we’re not managing the resources that we have as you would on a boat, because we don’t have the impression that these resources are limited.
“When you sail on a boat you take with you the minimum of resources. You don’t waste anything. You don’t leave the light on; you don’t leave a computer screen on. And I realised that on land we take what we want. You’d never do that on a boat. If you need some kitchen roll, you tear off a corner, not a whole square. But someone somewhere thought that a perforated line was what everyone needs.”
She hasn’t ruled out a return to competitive sailing in the longer term but, for the moment,
she will just sail for pleasure and for her charity which helps children with cancer and leukaemia.
By Dad Martin on Oct 9, 2009
Ooh, Dad Martin - I heard that too. The thing about living lightly and not wasting resources rang so true and was probably the most inspired thing I’ve heard anyone on the radio say in a long time (althought given my habit of listening to radio 1 in the mornings that’s no great surprise!)
By Margaret on Oct 9, 2009
While matters poetic are still in vogue, may I take this opportunity to publicise the concept of the ‘haiku’. As you may know, this is a traditional Japanese verse form with a seventeen syllable structure, comprising three metrical units of 5, 7 and 5 syllables. I’m still practising:
“Writing poetry,
with seventeen syllables,
is very diffic….”
Way to go!
By Dad Martin on Oct 9, 2009
For real lump-in-the-throat material, look up Kathryn Nutbeem singing “Somewhere Along The Way Someone Waits For Me” at Falklands 25th memorial in London 2007.
When the big pictures come up on screen, I defy any of you not to reach for your hanky.
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 9, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE. I shall drink for you tonight.
By John Hanafin on Oct 9, 2009
I’ve been away thius week and have just found a computer with email link for a quick post. A week it seems is a long time in Ocean rowing, however not in blog reading… still patching things up, on then off the sea anchor and rowing. The rest of the bloggers seem in fine form, good efforts all round!
I shall resume normal sarcastic blog replies on Monday.
By Biff on Oct 9, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUR DARLING GRACE. MANY MANY WONDERFUL YEARS WITH MICK. STAY WELL, ENJOY TODAY, DON’T FINISH THE GOODIES. KEEP SOME FOR MICK. Lots of love and kisses from me and all my sunshine kiddies at Hearts of Gold.
By Theresa Hearts of Gold on Oct 9, 2009
Hi Guys! Goodluck. Best wishes, always hope for the best. Few more days to go. Electricals, Lumpy salty waters etc… we have just one goal: SAN FRANCISCO. ALL THE BEST.
By Theresa Hearts of Gold on Oct 9, 2009
@ John:Thanxs a lot G/G wish i was there to have that drink wiv you guys
@ Mummy Theresa:Thank you very much for the messages of love and encouragement from you and all your lovely kids at the HOG you are always in my heart and don’t worry i’ve kept a special goodie bag just for Mick
By Grace Dawson on Oct 9, 2009
and there was me thinking Biff was man overboard!
Birthday wishes to Grace, Rowing wishes to the boys in the boat….
By Dizzie Blonde on Oct 10, 2009
I would like you to know, at 1 am bst, I am in firm belief that I am a far better skittle player than yous twos.
Bugger ocean rowing…..
Beer boys 399 Colyton 388.
Love you guys
Justin
By Footballing rower from Beer on Oct 10, 2009