It is odd to think that I could very easily have another two lots (and some) of seventy five days in the company of the lovely Happy Socks, with my own smelly socks, before I reach land. All you Tracker Addicts out there, stagging out the little dot each morning on my Yellowbrick tracker, will have seen how progress can accelerate, decelerate, stall and reverse in a moment and through my blogs and phonecasts and Tweets you will have noticed, no doubt, how talk of the weather is always there or thereabouts.
The weather is boss out here
It is the weather that will either let us cross or keep me us from land, and a fair amount of good luck, too. Yes, I need to make the most of every opportunity to row, to make sure I am sleeping, eating and looking after myself and the boat and rationing my food to keep us both going for the duration – but the external contingencies will win at the end of the day. What will be, will be and all that. There are no guarantees with anything in this life, except that we will all pass out of it at some point, not least with adventures and oceans – as last year’s Rosie and fellow rower Angela Madsen’s rescue off the coast of San Fran showed last month.
And so for all this I feel glad, lucky and grateful – and grin and sing out loud happy – that Happy Socks and I are, at this stage, still going strong. Yes, my back screams daily and my hands ache and my knee creaks and swells in protest at both rowing and lying down; and my tummy shouts for more calories than I will allow it; and the bilge pump has died and the watermaker and my battery system take daily pep talks to keep them happy…and there are down days and glum days from time to time – but I know that if we pace ourselves and look after things we will have the stamina – and stubbornness- to keep on keepin’ on for as many lots of 75 days as called for before food and the year runs out. Hopefully, we will be tucking into a pile of pancakes and hugs from family in the land of the Maple leaf before either of that happens.
For now, I keep focussing on each block of five days chalked up on my wall, taking, it one day at a time – sometimes one hour or even less, at a time – making the most of the opportunities to row and experience this most amazing of worlds. For, as long as the time can seem at times, I know that in time it will all be but a flutter of memories.
More immediately, by the morning I should be seeing more useful wind after this last 48 of contrary stuff. If the forecast holds we are in for five or six days of SW to WSW winds. In other words, absolutely perfect for smashing some miles to those pancakes.
Saltiest,
Sarah and Happy Socks x
PS. Thanks for all the lovely comments after my blog about my girlfriend. Lucy is going to write her own blog about how she copes while I am away – watch this space.
REPLIES TO COMMENTS:
James Ogilvie: Bon Corridge! Love it. I chuckled out aloud
Barry Gumbert: Welcome back to the phonecasts J Much easier to post than writing blogs, hence the bias towards them. And it’s all about the oats out here.
Susie Hewson: Indeed. A vineyard sounds like a pretty nice place to be. Happy days
Amz Bryant: Must be wedding time soon for T and K. Enjoy! Hope running going well.
Donald Gorst: Shhh! No talk of crashes this time. That is sooo last ocean. And next? Helping others have adventurous opportunities and teaching, I think, once I have finished my book and round of talks etc.
Louise and Ray: Woohoo! Ulta along Hadrian’s Wall sounds like a fantastic challenge. Great stuff. What next, I wonder?!
Team Tony: Say hello to the old girl for me and please be sure to give her a full rendition of all the songs. And yes – watch out for buoys!
Richard Adams: Thanks R. Please pass on my continued thanks to the Rutland Trust and Oakham Memorial Institute.
Ray Girard: Stars yes – when the sea is calm enough to be out. No auroras yet but a few shooters. And satellites!
Dave Mitchell: Say hello to RPYC for me. Yes, hooray for the watermaker.
Bremma: Massive grins for the start of your adventures guys. Be safe and be happy.
Sarah Wilson: As per the above – watch this space for thoughts from Lucy on how she copes while I am away.
It is so very wonderful of you to share your amazing adventure with all of us. You are in my thoughts every day. I will add a visioning of you pouring a little maple syrup over happy socks bow to celebrate your successful crossing to my daily holding you both in the light. I Love your posts!
Go Sara Go! All the best, Stephen
Here’s to lots of maple syrup on those pancakes when you land here!
All the best to you and Happy Socks! Safe rowing.
Sarah, you actually have an awful lot of us folks IN HAPPY SOCKS with you, at all times.
Dibs on the aft bunk!
Hi Sarah
I watched you give a speech at greshams speech day few years ago. Awe inspiring and I waited anxiously for your book which I thoroughly enjoyed. Have finally got to grips with technology and figured out how to follow your latest progress. Keep going girl, you are an inspiration to us all.
No more of this ” Que Sara” language. I thought the bloody thing has sprung a leak. First thing in the morning I need positive thoughts.
Hi Sarah
Glad that you are still heading in the right direction [ despite some defects with your compass or rudder ? ].
The 3rd way part is coming up soon and then it wont be as far to go.
Have you still got any fish with you and have you seen the green flash yet.
Sorry I have not commented on your phone casts but I am a bit hard of hearing.
Keep sending pictures and how about a splash in the water or is it too cold.
Remember
Keep on rowing.
Don’t stop rowing.
Your gonner get there some day.
And then your gonner make a lotter a lot of people happy.
Just to hear you you say
I MADE IT
Cheers from sunny Queensland.
We get so anxious every time we open up your phone casts and always hope and pray for good news. You are such an inspirational figure for all and we mean all. May Happy Socks continue to swim safely carrying you towards landfall beyond that magnificent ocean. Alan & Barb, Stamford.
Sarah, we only pass this way once. You and Happy Socks will complete this trip and look back many times at all the hardships and fun you had. Enjoy or scream at every moment as this too will pass. Stay safe you amazing woman.
Nicely put. Italians say ‘Che sara’, sara’ (What will be, will be).
hi,
found you by luck at you tube,looking for something else. it is amazing what you and other solo rowers due,best of luck and may God bless you and protect you
I love sharing in your adventure. It rekindles memories of my Atlantic row in 2010. As a soul currently locked to the land I advise you make the most of it. Take the time to enjoy the beauty’s and wonders the ocean has to offer. Hopefully my girlfriend isn’t reading but secretly I want to be out there with you enjoying all that an ocean row has to offer. 😀
I open your blog, phonecast etc. as soon as they come in and read or listen with a little bit of trepidation, hoping that no catastrophe has befallen you – you are one heck of a brave and gutsy lady to be where you are – it would be my worst nightmare! So, as I potter in the garden and carry on with what seems a mundane daily life I think of you and admire you enormously. We are all thinking of you and as Ray Girard says, you have a lot of us folks in Happy Socks with you – Keep the three S’s going – keep Smiling, keep Singing and most importantly keep Safe