Day 171 - By A Thread And The Tea Bag Saviour
October 26, 2009 – 8:34 amThis blog is coming to you from the north pacific ocean and there’s quite a considerable amount of technology that goes into that happening. Firsty any photos are taken on various digital cameras and then uploaded to the laptop (a ruggedised, very tough and partially waterproof piece of kit that weighs nearly a metric ton) then there’s a cable connection that joins the laptop to a satellite phone. The satellite phone sends the signal to the satellite which beams it to a ground station where the signal (in this case an email) gets sent to Rich (our webman). Rich then puts the final version up onto the website so you can read this.
With all of these amazing things happening it becomes second nature and you start to expect it to continue happening. The one piece of the puzzle that we’ve been having problems with is the simple wire connection between the phone and the laptop. It’s broken several times but we’ve always been able to mend it…so far. Hopefully the mending process will be able to continue until we get in whereupon I think this little cable may just get framed. (It certainly won’t see active duty again). Keep your fingers crossed though. The breakage fairy can strike at any time.
After a rather damp evening with plenty of mizzle and a very grey start (that reminded us both of being back in Britain) the sun managed to burn through the cloud and has given us a real treat today. I’ve been able to have a wash and do the washing without contracting hypothermia and I even managed to top up the tan that I had earlier in the trip although I’m certainly not the deep bronze that I once was back in July. The wind has helped us out a touch (only 5-10kts) but more than enough to get us moving at pace.
The other very important piece of news is a brand new discovery in the art of tea making. After mild panic set in a few days ago with the discovery of the final 10 tea bags we came up with a new plan this morning that worked. Simply take your used tea bag and boil it in the pan with some water to force the last of the colour and flavour out of it. I am VERY happy to report that it worked well in trials this morning and we might just have enough tea to last us one cup a day until the Golden Gate Bridge. That said when we get a resupply, tea will be top of the list shortly followed by a range of dunkable biscuits.
Congratulations today must of course go to Mel and Sal. Friends of Mick they are getting married today. Mick’s very sorry he can’t be there but he’s been unavoidably detained on the North Pacific.
40°35′51”N 129°3′36”W
Chris & Mick travelled 45.3 miles East (heading 98.9°) on day 171
They ended 401.2 miles from San Francisco (43.5 miles closer than yesterday)
They covered miles 4637 to 4681 of the trip
Their average pace so far has been 27.4 miles/day towards San Francisco
They have 14.7 days remaining at this rate, so would arrive in San Francisco on 9 Nov 2009
Their target heading for the shortest route to San Francisco is East-South-East (heading 116.5°)
See where the boat is
Sponsor Thanks
With such good mileage we’ve 2 sponsors to thank today.
Matt Jenkins and Katie Littler (or possibly Katie Jenkins depending on timing?). Matt and Katie sponsored miles 4638-4640 which the crew covered yesterday morning.
Adrian Thompson, an old friend of Chris’ from Molesey Boat Club, and now Army Officer. Adrian sponsored miles 4655-4664 which the boys covered yesterday evening, and he has this message for them:
- Chris (and Mick) - amazing achievement, has seriously impressed all my army colleagues, who think you are completely crazy (but having been a Royal, Mick, you probably already are!). Puts our efforts on the tideway all those years back to shame. Keep it up guys - simply fantastic.
Click on Mick and Chris to see where the boat is
25 Responses to “Day 171 - By A Thread And The Tea Bag Saviour”
As long as there is tea - life is good! Keep it up boys - doing a grand job. And at this rate you will be back in time for the Autumn Internationals!! Boozy x
By Boozy Bird on Oct 26, 2009
Watcha lads sorry was in the depths of Dorset at weekend,well rock on with the tea bag boiling will probably still taste better than the tea they make in the U.S .Be safe an love to bo.xx
By jenny b on Oct 26, 2009
I have an idea for the emergency re-supply of T-bags.
In 1985 I was the Maritime Patrol Aircraft Controller on the carrier Invincible. One Sunday we we aimlessly ambling about in the North Atlantic and I was on the bridge driving (great job). I got called down to the Operations Room and was told to prepare the joining procedure for a Nimrod MPA coming on task. I asked what the task was (ie submarine-hunting etc) and was told “it’s classified, just prepare the joining procedure.” So I did and was told to hand it over to the Air Director to talk the Nimrod onto task and I was to return to the bridge. Shortly afterwards, said Nimrod arrives on task and ambles aimlessly around the skies for a while.
The skipper, (Capt Christopher Hope Layman MVO DSO RN decorated war hero) comes up to the bridge calls the Ops Room and says “I’m ready”. The Officer of the Watch summons the bloke in charge of the Watch on Deck to the bridge and tells him to launch the Sea Boat and pick up what the Nimrod is going to parachute into the sea. Naturally he asks “and what might that be?” He too is told “It’s classified, just pick it up and bring it to the bridge.”
Out of the grey and murky skies (and quite low cloud cover) swoops a Nimrod admittedly looking fairly majestic, she does a pass up and down each side of the ship (posing) and on the final run climbs a few hundred feet and out comes a canister and parachute. We launch the Sea Boat and pick it up and it’s brought to the bridge and handed to the Captain.
He says simply “thank you” and disappears down to his cabin with it. To this day no one knows what was in it and if I were to speculate I would probably say it was Saturdays football results. Either that or the Sunday Sport!
So why don’t we see if we can get a US Coast Guard MPA to parachute some T-bags in?
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 26, 2009
That is good team work and quality thinking @least there’s tea now on board so the quality and taste shouldn’t matter.
Congratulations to Mel and Sal,we wish you a happy married life,have a great day today as this is the beginning to many more years together of more love and happiness to come.
Cheers from Mick and Grace Dawson
By Grace Dawson on Oct 26, 2009
TLMB - was the sea-boat a Pacifc 22? If so, Chris, Biff and myself have a good story too…
By George.Simpson on Oct 26, 2009
Fantastic work guys, you’re soooo nearly there. In fact, if I look at the map and zoom all the way out, it looks like you are there already! Exciting stuff.
By Max on Oct 26, 2009
Aaah George, the old faithful Pacific 22. Never lets you down. Great days, great days. Trip to Moscow on a combine harverster anybody?
By Biff on Oct 26, 2009
GS/Biff
it certainly was a Pacific. Was it a 22? The years and beers have hazed my memory already & kick started alzheimers but it probably was.
Do tell chaps …
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 26, 2009
Shortened version is that we bought one, attempted to go round the UK in it but didn’t quite manage it. We ended up going from Totnes to Plymouth (clockwise). The fuel tank ruptured and we averaged 450l fuel per 23 miles. The boat and preparations cost around £13k, the taxi back to where we started from cost £25.
The longer version needs a few pints to get it really going. “Twas a dark and stormy night” etc etc.
By George.Simpson on Oct 26, 2009
Chris you do realise how gay describing yourself as ‘deep bronze’ is don’t you?
By Margaret on Oct 26, 2009
Hi Chris and Mick
Well done for discovering a new way to make tea! Using the new method, you may find you can stretch to two cups a day.
What interesting, amusing and adventurous memories of being at sea TLM, GS and B have!
Keeeeeeeeeep smiling, keeeeeeeeep rowing and keeeeeeeeep safe.
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 26, 2009
No Biff, do not fancy a trip to Moscow on a combine - too busy preparing for Boxing Day’s Pram race - its on the list of 50 things to do before your 50! Funnily enough rowing the Pacific isn’t on the list!! When I say preparing - I mean what to wear whilst standing on the side lines cheering with a glass in my hand - wouldn’t want anyone to think I was actually pushing a pram around 10 pubs in the village…. Great news on the improvisation of teabags - spot of rowing between sun bathing would be in order chaps….
Stay safe, and enjoy…
By Dizzie Blonde on Oct 26, 2009
Boat to circumnavigate the UK £13,000.
Fuel £400.
Taxi back from Plymouth £25.
The look on George’s face when he discovered the failiure was down to 6 inches of split pipe from the fuel tank to the breather pipe. Priceless.
By VISA on Oct 26, 2009
I think the look on Chalky’s face a couple of months later when he sank her because he didn’t notice I’d taken the bilge drain plug out would have been better to see!
By George.Simpson on Oct 26, 2009
Mick,I hope you took the vital piece of kit from your time in the Marines.Black harry maskers that would have done the trick with the cable.Corps birthday Wednesday keep up the Commando spirit espescially cheerfulness in adversity!
By Lee Hurford on Oct 26, 2009
He sunk it!! What… When?! And this is the guy who builds Ocean Rowing boats!! Chris check your drain plugs!
By Biff on Oct 26, 2009
Hey - I don’t want to slander Chalky here, it was my fault he didn’t know the drain plug was out because it was hidden away behind the drive leg and I should have put it back in!
By George.Simpson on Oct 26, 2009
Ahhh the Totnes to Plymouth challenge….the memories!!!
George I saw Simons face when it started sinking in Torquay and it was priceless….but not quite as priceless as it was after he had jumped into the icy water in the pitch black to put the plug it back in again!!!
By Amanda Claridge on Oct 26, 2009
Chris and Mick - Well done, serious progress. Won’t be long now!
Ladies - Yesterday’s subject was ‘Thoughts from a Chocoholic’. Today’s theme is ‘Dieting Under Stress’ (other than rowing across the Pacific, you understand).
Ten rules on how to combine a successful diet with life as a normal human being.
1. If you eat something and no-one sees you, then your food has no calories.
2. When you eat with someone else, calories do not count if they eat more than you do.
3. If you drink diet cola with a chocolate bar, the cola cancels out the calories of chocolate.
4. Broken biscuits have no calories; the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.
5. Food used for medicinal purposes never counts. eg. hot chocolate for relaxation, brandy for fortification or toast and cheesecake as antidepressants.
6. It’s recommended that you fatten up everyone around you so you appear slimmer.
7. Food licked off cutlery or out of a bowl has no calories if you are following a recipe. eg. butter icing on cake, remains of scone mixture or cream on trifle.
8. TV and cinema food have no calories as they are part of an entertainment package.
9. Foods of the same colour have the same number of calories. eg. spinach and mint ice-cream, mushrooms and white chocolate, water and gin & tonic.
10. Athletes eat huge amounts of pasta before races like the marathon. It’s a myth that you have to complete 26 miles to run it off. One brisk trot around the settee is quite sufficient to wipe out one bowl of spaghetti; twice around the living room uses so much energy that a chocolate bar is required to supplement one’s sugar level and rebuild one’s strength. Good luck!
[Yep! It’s the wisdom of tea towels again!]
By Dad Martin on Oct 26, 2009
Lee
//Black harry maskers// the expression is Harry Black Maskers or HBM. Same as Harry Redders (hot); Harry Skinters (broke/penniless); Harry Amsters (Amsterdam); Harry crappers (drunk);
SfC
there are some corking dits from various adventures around the world whilst in the service of Her Majesty. My two personal favourites would have to be the taxi driver in Bombay and getting caught in the nurses quarters by the Mother Superior in Blankenburg Belgium. We were all naked. The Captain laid on an identity parade for her to pick out the culprits. She identified 3 of the 4, the only one she couldn’t identify - was me. Work out why!!
Cheers
TLM
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 26, 2009
Great milage chaps, keep that up and you’ll be shooting the bridge while chomping your last few supplies! Have my fingers crossed!
Hope the conditions remain favourable!
Keep safe!
By Beckers on Oct 26, 2009
Gosh - I am amazed at the number of blogg messages so far today when it’s only just past tea time! Like Dad Martin’s dieting list, especially No. 6!!!
We are all routing for your success Chris and Mick. Keep moving those oars - you WILL get there sooooooon…. so, keeeeeeeeep smiling, keeeeeeeep rowing and please keeeeeep safe for these last remaining nautical miles.
By Sue from Cornwall on Oct 26, 2009
Chris, it’s difficult to know what more to say to you after all this time at sea.
Get a skate on, I want my 195 days later t-shirt.
By Boing Boing on Oct 26, 2009
Mick, John (Hanafin) has been in Lagos 2 years today. He wanted me to go on a bender with him tonight but I went all lightweight on him (for a TLM change).
I’m saving it up til your back, I’ve been practicing hard, managed another 4am finish in Pats on Saturday, they kicked us out so they could close so we went to YNOT - after all, why not??!
By Typical Lightweight Matelot on Oct 26, 2009
I agree wholeheartedly with Margaret’s comment. Chris, stop being so gay and get on with the rowing. Next you’ll be complaining that your dehydrated food pouches have gone straight to your hips.
By The Egypt!an on Oct 27, 2009