On my side of the world the voyage clock has just reached the almost surreal 100 day mark. Wow. I mean, seriously wow! What were you doing 100 days ago? What have you done since? How my times have you gone shopping, walked in the park or enjoyed a bike ride through town with not a worry in the world? How many miles have you driven or flown? ^
Isn’t it just great to put your feet up with the weekend paper to just sit back and switch off for a while?
Cup of tea anyone? No, I’ll have a cool fresh orange juice from the fridge instead please. Thank you very much. hmmm… delicious.
I think I’ll go to bed now. Had a tough, long day. I’ll just catch a quick hot shower first though. You feel the endless supply of water caress your clean hair and skin as you unwind with your eyes closed, enjoying the easy therapy. You lean with one hand against the wall and exhale. The tapping sound of water falling off your tired shoulders adds to the moment and you simply go with it, relaxing every muscle of your body, longing for the warm, soft bed that awaits only a few meters away. You dry off with a new towel that brings with it a flowery smell that makes you smile. You feel as good as new. Well, almost. A few hours sleep will fix that and you know it too. As the bed embraces your shell, your soul becomes lighter and you let yourself fall into a deep, restoring sleep. Everything around you is still. Silence is a luxury you take for granted. Your day has come to an end now and you take only a few seconds to look within, perhaps in prayer, before you are absorbed into the magic world of dreams and free emotions. Hours of sleep await.
Safe. Dry. Comfortable.
This is you. Your life. Probably every day. Including the past 100 days, whilst Sarah Outen was at sea. Rowing. Rowing. Rowing…
Sarah, my little english rowing girl, I am so incredibly proud of you, as are all your friends, family and global fans. You are reaching many with your beautiful life journey and marine adventure. You are a sea animal now, a real beast of the oceans just like I said you would be. I know you are not really counting the days any more. You haven’t been for weeks and weeks. Time doesn’t really matter where you are. It’s all about progress, effort, survival, harmony. One stroke at a time. What a lesson. One that we will never forget.
You’ve had it tough girl. The weather was not kind to you for more days that you deserve. But this is the home run now. You are in the final weather sector of your voyage and this high pressure system is set to look after you until your proud bow pushes into the soft white sands of the paradise island. Thanks for your fantastic effort, especially in the last month. You have been consistent with your discipline and you have made such good progress, even with far from ideal weather. The last few days have been particularly hard. I don’t know how you managed to keep that boat moving so close to west with the wind not quite right. But you did it and you are now in the right place to eat up some good miles.
I believe the next challenge will soon be in your heart, as you begin to realize that this amazing blue world will be left behind and you will have to find a new strength to face the real world again and so many new and overwhelming emotions. We are all here for you Sarah. Ready to welcome you home with a big loving hug.
See you soon, ok?
Your mate,
ricardo
My friends & I (who hail from all four corners of the world) unite to send Mega Kudos to you on your 100-day achievement, Sarah!! Today, Ricardo’s blog said it all & more…
We’ve followed your experiences from Day One & as days/weeks & months have ticked by & miles are being chalked up, our awe & admiration of you grows. Through your spirited blogs, each of us feels a bond, a connection, with you and we’re enormously proud to know you and think of you as our Friend. Like so many others, I read your blogs while having my first a.m. cup of tea and for a brief moment or three, I’m transported on an adventure to the middle of the Indian Ocean! Thank you for undertaking the Adventure you’re on and for supporting the organisation you’ve chosen. The lives of so many – such as your beloved Dad – are the beneficiaries of your efforts and he’s sBeaming with Pride. We’re hooked on your adventurous spirit and what you’re doing!
Although we shall probably never meet in person, each of us in this group of supporters (two are from the the southern hemisphere), know that we’re in your corner cheering you on and wishing you “Fair Winds and Clear Horizons…” all the way. Soon you’ll be “counting the sleeps” to Mauritius. . . We guarantee the sunsets only get better the closer you get, so enjoy them for us. God Speed.
– Joan & the Gang
What an amazing achievement to have survived 100 days battling the elements and dealing with the psychological and emotional challenges! I hope you enjoyed the Minstrels. Shares in Galaxy would have been worth buying recently judging by the other blogs. I’ll toast you with orange juice as I’m off alcohol and chocolate as I’m trying to live more healthily and feel much better for it. How priggish does that sound?
Yesterday I went through with my tutor group what they have done in the past 100 days – work experience, enterprise week, reward trip to Alton Towers, trial exams,theatre trip to see ‘The Woman in Black’, lots of school days and many weekends. I then updated them with your website and discussed your stamina and strength of character. Some of the students have been logging on at home and following your progress.
Keep smiling and keep those uplifting blogs coming.
Regards
Brigitte
Hi sarah. I am following your journey and reading your musings on your blog. Thanks for sharing your adventure and thoughts. Happy 100 days
Hi Sarah,
Your wise weather wizard Ricardo says it for all. Enjoy the last lap – home run – and think of the holiday that awaits! You’ve already won your laurels. And soon you can rest on them.
Until the next challenge, that is!
Nice piece in the Rutland paper from the release – hope today’s Beeb goes OK, best Jane
well done Sarah. Home lap now – well sort of. But yes what have we all been doing in the last 100 days? Not as much as you – so well done and keep going to the end
All the best Adrian
So nice to meet you Ricardo ~ and with such lovely words!!!
We are looking forward to meeting Sarah too, hopefully we might.
May the winds and seas be calmer for all out there, please let our last rowers have a kind experience as they eat up some good miles to dry land.
xxxxxtina
Hello Sarah, I’ve been following your epic voyage across the high seas over the last 100 days. What an achievement – you really are amazing. So strong, so courageous, so determined. I often think of you and rememeber sitting together on the bow of Silurian. It was a beautiful Hebridean summer evening, glassy calm seas, porpoises for company and the overwhelming mountains of Skye towering above us, glowing pink as the sun set behind us. I knew there was nothing I could say or do to help the pain of losing your father. But I knew that you would succeed in turning this bitter experience into something positive and full of energy. Thanks for taking us all with you. My warmest regards and respect, Laura, HWDT.
I bet there are few of us without a tear drop after Ricardo’s amazing tribute to you Sarah. What a truely wonderful memorial from a daughter to her father this challenge is. We have all sat in that boat with you emotionally over the journey thanks to your blogs and phone calls and I for one want to thank you for that opportunity of sharing the journey and look forward to the next installments. Susie x
what a timely blog,puts into perspective the sheer enormity of what sarah is doing with such grit humour and resolve,our daily lives are an absolute breeze in general compared to her task in hand,a remarkable testament to the powert of the human spirit and a fine contrast to the “big brother” way of looking at life,in a really good way i will be a bit less comfortable until sarah is safely home.