Day 161 - Galeing It
October 16, 2009 – 12:11 pmSorry for the delay today - my fault, I’m away with work in a different time zone 4 hours behind the UK and forgot to update the blog before I went to bed… Doh! Rich
While we’re out here we thought it was about time to start creating a series of new words and phrases to describe the unique series of events that we go through on a daily basis.
Galeing it - to sit in a small cabin with someone else bouncing off the walls while winds of at least 35kts blow outside
Four-second-count - the process of working out if a vessel might be near enough to see by counting the space between the beeps of the sea me radar enhancer. Generally lasting from 1 to 2 hours.
Making a dash - the process of making a call of nature during a period of galeing it.
Sopping - the highest level of moisture in the cabin
Damp - the lowest level of moisture in the cabin
Dry - Entirely unknown
Hunger - Constant feeling in one’s stomach of one requiring more food.
Full - Entirely unknown
Praying to the connection god - a daily occurance generally saved for just before the writing (and subsequent sending) of the blog.
39-9 - The current draughts score (and my average in improving…slowly)
Hitting the back of the cabin - The process of entering the cabin so rapidly that one litterally hits the back of the cabin. Usually associated with Chris when it is raining outside.
We rowed last night until just after dinner. With the wind increasing and only blowing us north and with the latest weather report from Lee Bruce suggesting that we didn’t have to worry about being further north than we were and with another set of gales and fronts due to pass, Mick deployed the sea anchor and we headed for the cabin to wait it out. Thrown around the cabin as usual but not quite as bad as we were expecting the worst thing is the humidity. With nearly everything damp now the stuffyness inside is almost unbearable. The only thing that makes it bearable is the lashings of rain that are soaking the deck outside.
The sea state is dying off now and hopefully with the front will come a change in wind direction meaning that we are back under oars and on our way again. Fingers crossed too that we can leave this period of seriously unsettled weather behind and get back to something that changes every 6 or 7 hours rather than every 2 or 3.
41°8′50”N 134°35′21”W
Chris & Mick travelled 18.5 miles East-North-East (heading 68.4°) on day 161
They ended 684.9 miles from San Francisco (14.9 miles closer than yesterday)
They covered miles 4382 to 4397 of the trip
Their average pace so far has been 27.3 miles/day towards San Francisco
They have 25.1 days remaining at this rate, so would arrive in San Francisco on 10 Nov 2009
Their target heading for the shortest route to San Francisco is East-South-East (heading 105.7°)
See where the boat is
Sponsor Thanks
Thanks today go to John and Kate Livingston who sponsored miles 4300-4304. The crew covered these a few days ago on day 158. Their message to the crew is:
Dear Chris and Mick, Congratulations on the wonderful achievement of getting more than 4000 miles! Hope you are still talking to each other. We are enjoying your blog. Lots of love, Kate and John Livingston
Click on Mick and Chris to see where the boat is
20 Responses to “Day 161 - Galeing It”
Well it looks like I was wrong about the Sea Me Chris, I’m glad if that means its helping out.
39-9. You’re doing, erm, really well.
By George.Simpson on Oct 16, 2009
I can relate to all that “lashings of rain” soaking the deck.
Last night I had a sumptuous roast chicken with all the trimmings and “lashings of” gravy over everything.
I think these are similar - aren’t they?
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 16, 2009
Have a great day today boys - spot of rowing would be good if you can tear yourselves away from the draughts board!
Stay safe out there with Mrs P Less than 700 miles to go now… Fantastic effort lads
By Dizzie Blonde on Oct 16, 2009
Grand blog guys! Sounds like the weather has been testing your patience a tad. Good news is that in just over 3 weeks you guys should be experiencing several unknowns; being able to walk further than 15ft without falling into the sea (on a steady surface), being ‘dry’, and after the post row pasta fest ‘full’. Enjoy the respite from the weather chaps. Chris, sorry mate but that scoreline is woeful ;o)
By Peperami on Oct 16, 2009
Hi guys,
Quality team-work,good efforts,wonderful and great men!!keep rowing you are doing us proud we are on a countdown now…Keep safe,Kisses
By Grace Dawson on Oct 16, 2009
Morning lads, Fantastic insight into the development of language - I love it! In the beginning were the words, and the words were ‘coinage’ and ‘neologism’: “terms used by students of language for a new, invented word or sense of a word, and the process of inventing it”. Here’s hoping ‘dry’ and ‘full’ will re-enter your vocabulary in the near future; not too long to go now!
Sue - The best of luck for a super smooth house purchase if, of course, this is THE one.
I’m still awaiting the approval of a Mrs Trellis from North Wales before publicising the story from Flintshire County Council. In the meantime, I offer the following list of genuine statements from insurance forms, where drivers tried to summarise accident details:
1. Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don’t have.
2. The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention.
3. I thought my window was down, but found it was up when I put my head through it.
4. I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way.
5. A truck backed through my windshield on to my wife’s face.
6. A pedestrian hit me and went under my car.
7. The guy was all over the road; I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.
8. I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment.
9. In an attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telegraph pole.
10. I had been driving for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident.
11. I was on my way to the doctor’s with rear end trouble when my universal joint gave way, causing me to have an accident.
12. As I approached an intersection, a sign suddenly appeared where no ’stop’ sign had appeared before.
13. To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front, I struck the pedestrian.
14. My car was legally parked as it backed into another vehicle.
15. An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car and vanished.
16. I told the police I was not injured, but on removing my hat I found that I had a fractured skull.
17. I was sure the old fellow would not make it to the other side of the road when I struck him.
18. The pedestrian had no idea which direction to run, so I ran over him.
19. I was thrown from my car as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by some cows.
20. I saw a slow-moving, sad-faced old gentleman as he bounced off the roof of my car.
21. The indirect cause of the accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth.
By Dad Martin on Oct 16, 2009
Hi Chris and Mick, the intrepid wind blown rowers! Like your new dictionary - another phrase that you omitted to mention is “being battered”, which I think appropriately describes how you must be feeling - and not freshly caught tuna served for dinner with chips! Keeeeeep smiling as usual, depsite everything - keeeeeeep rowing when you can - and please keeeeeep safe.
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 16, 2009
OK OK Simpson you’ve grovelled enough, Grace has accepted your apology and is friends, and it seems even Mick and Chris haven’t asked for a block to be put on your posts, so start being honest! As Peperami says 39-9 is woeful!! Is Chris sure that he starting with the same number of pieces as Mick?
As for “Galeing it” is that with one of the two Gales that you had aboard yesterday, and does she mind?
By Biff on Oct 16, 2009
Oooooh Dad Martin, I laughed till I cried! Excellent motorist stories! Maybe Chris and Mick can think up some similar ones involving rowers!! Thanks for your good wishes regarding my house sale and purchase - now that experience can make one cry without laughing…!
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 16, 2009
And to follow on Chris Dad, here are some GSE answers:
Q. What causes the tides in the oceans
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends
to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and
nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight
Q. What happens to your body as you age
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental
Q. What does the word ‘benign’ mean
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight
And one that a friend of mine wrote in his Biology GCSE:
Q: What makes the Duck Billed Platypus unique as a mammel?
A. It plays centre half for Millwall
(He didn’t pass. The candidate that is, not the platypus, he was great. Millwall haven’t been the same since he retired.)
By Biff on Oct 16, 2009
Watcha lads ,i reckon you need to write a book after this one it would sure rock you have both come out with some good stuff ,keep it up be safe an love to bo .xx
COME ON YOU WIND GODS LETS BLOW THESE BOYS HOME NOW.XXXX
By jenny b on Oct 16, 2009
You make a good point Biff. I recon if Mick played on his own, using only the motion of the waves to move the other pieces, the boat would be doing better than 39-9.
Also, if I’d been on a boat for 160 days, and Ms Hilton hoved in to view, she’d be getting a cup of tea, a bit of chat and maybe even some of that.
By George.Simpson on Oct 16, 2009
Many folk have been kind enough to sponsor this venture, others have specified that their donations should be directed towards the two worthy charities. The lads are more than grateful for both. However, Mick and Chris have jointly come to the decision that ALL miles sponsored SINCE they left Choshi in Japan should be divided equally between the Hamilton Lodge School for the Deaf in Brighton and Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice in Lagos, Nigeria.
I for one felt a bit dubious about this. Chris did a similar thing with his solo Atlantic crossing in 2005-6. He actually raised a goodly sum for both the Breast Cancer Campaign (for the girls) and the Prostate Cancer Charity (for the boys), yet arrived back in the UK with a SHORTFALL in his own costs that was even bigger! Unsurprisingly, it took him a couple of years before he paid off that loan!
Nevertheless I’m assured that this time, their Golden Gate Endeavour fund is in much better shape. Accordingly, the lads’ decision is final, so folks, if you have yet to make a contribution, please do so NOW IN THESE LAST FEW WEEKS! If you enjoy participating in or just reading their blog, would like to be part of something big or are just grateful that you are more fortunate than others, please, please, dig deep! Then think of the SERIOUSLY UNPRECEDENTED sacrifices that our dynamic duo are making and dig deeper still! We really are not talking about a sponsored walk in the park here - this is genuinely WORLD RECORD-BREAKING STUFF……..DAY 161 AND COUNTING!!!
PS. How to give? Go to the DONATE button at the top of this page and follow the instructions. If you are a bit dubious about giving over the internet, please note there is an alternative! This DONATE button ALSO provides details of how to make a contribution via MORE OLD-FASHIONED MEANS.
On behalf of Mick, Chris and both charities, thank you very much indeed.
By Dad Martin on Oct 16, 2009
Thank you very much Dad Martin it’s good what you are doing on behalf of the boys…Thank you.
@ Biff:leave Simpson/Laser.Beam alone we are cool.
By Grace Dawson on Oct 16, 2009
Очень было интер есно читать, спасибо!
By Saderinka on Oct 16, 2009
Oh I wish these people would type in English! Is that last word “crackpot”…?
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 16, 2009
Vladivostok……………Mornington Crescent!
By Dad Martin on Oct 16, 2009
When Judith Durham & The Seekers sang they ♫ “were all bound for Mornington ♫ many miles away♫” was that in Vladivostok? Goodness me, that is a long way.
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 17, 2009
I once saw the crescent - you saw the whole of the moon.
Plus the
Unicorns and cannonballs
Palaces and piers
Trumpets, towers, and tenemets
Wide oceans full of tears
Flag, rags, ferry boats
Scimitars and scarves
Every precious dream and vision
Underneath the stars
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 17, 2009
Dad Martin: Chris emailed me a photo of the trip line some time ago for us to auction off. The thing is, he told me it cost him over £100…
Given the hilarity we all enjoyed over the whereabouts of the trip line, do you think we can make more than £100 auctioning it off? Obviously it would be an own-goal to make a loss on it.
By George.Simpson on Oct 17, 2009