Mauritius has seen an immense amount of wind today. It has been blowing all day so hard and steady, as if a huge fan was just doing it’s thing, hour after hour. Marcel kindly drove me to the next town north so that I could buy some groceries and for a few moments we walked onto the beach and could hardly stand. The swells breaking on the reefs were visible even from over a 2miles away. I spent all day indoors wrapped in a blanket and monitoring weather, discussing options with Sarah and wondering why I hadn’t brought warmer clothes (!). Mauritius, of course, is not enjoying the summer like I just was in sunny Portugal.
I am not happy with Sarah arriving in the night. Neither is Sarah.
Do we stop with Bob in the water and wait? Do we go for it and risk arriving in the dark? How does one navigate through reefs with a boat that goes where the wind wants it to go? My day has been all about finding the right answer.
The wind has blown Sarah along so fast all day today that in any 12h period in the last 24h she covered around 35 miles. That’s pretty huge! She may actually pull a 70 miler in 24h before getting in. Conditions although tough are absolutely perfect. I am delighted at her present position and the success of her track. For close to a month Sarah and I worked out our own little plan as to how to NOT miss Mauritius. At one point I was a little worried as she was getting blown really far north. Equally it was essential to get her away from the west and south west winds and build her morale again. But it was only in the past 2 weeks that we really began to secure the arrival. My research and gut feeling suggested that Sarah should be approaching Mauritius from the southeast only. So this is what the wind fortunately allowed Sarah to do. If you look at the tracker she has steadily gone south west, even beyond the latitude of the island. At times it was tempting to just point directly at “the beach” as we called it, but I was unsure what this new strong wind would bring and we both agreed to continue south west until we were sure. And now it is with great relief and joy that we see a plan working out just perfectly. Had Sarah been anywhere else and she would not make it. She would just be blown north and completely miss her target. Her steady course these last few days is almost as consistent as that of a sailing boat. And the funny thing is, she has been inside resting most of today, building some power for what will be a really amazing day tomorrow. Theoretically she will start going faster as soon as she starts rowing again.
Final answer? She’s gonna go for it! No plan B.
At present average speed of 3 point something knots, we took only 3 knots and saw that with x miles to go she had 17hr to go. That means a 16h local time arrival, leaving us with 3h of day light since the sun sets at 17:54, leaving another hour of light. So we have a 3h safety net. And this young lady is going for it!
I will be monitoring her progress all night and keeping the website updated as things happen.
There will be a gap in information later on as I will be on a boat with Mauritius Coast Guard guiding Sarah in.
By tomorrow night we will have pictures and a full update on the site.
Thanks for all your support.
ricardo
Good luck you are in my prayers
Sarah we are all with you tonight!
Thanks for the update Ricardo! Sarah – you go for it girl!!!!!! Fliss xxxx
good luck!! and save landing!!!!!!!!!!!
greetings from France
Sarah, nothing like cutting it fine – what did I say to you today about scheduling your visit to tie in with BBC News at One? 1600 Mo time = 1300 UK time…just perfect! Hope the Breakfast News interview goes OK…no TV here so don’t know if I’ll be able to catch it. Watch those waves and watch that reef…we’ll be willing you in!
Good luck, Sarah…and all good fortune to Ricardo and Marcel. We are thinking of you all tonight.
good luck – looking forward to hearing you have safely landed, had a lovely shower and are in some non-scratchy clean clothes!
Best of luck!!! Keeping my fingers crossed and wishing you all the best for this final stretch of your most awe-inspiring adventure! Looking forward to the pics and happy-landing news!!
Prayers from all over the world are guiding Sarah to her “landing.” From S. California I send best wishes for a safe and secure landfall.
My thoughts are with you Sarah and of course with your Mum and Matt and the rest of the back up team.
God Bless and safe landings – look forward to reading that this has all been achieved safely tomorrow and of course seeing you soon.
From all at SES, especially SJS.
Love Libby
Go for it girl!!!!
Wishing you the absolute best of luck on the final countdown, trust Adrian to be thinking about the media, perfect timing though! I will be watching out for you.
May the mars bars be with you!
Thinking of you tomorrow
xx Laura
Ricardo – bless you for you wisdom and faithful care and counsel of Sarah. Love and prayers for you all, and that ‘the Lord of Sea and Sky’ (quote from a song)will guard our brave lady and her brave boat well. I’m unashamed to admit that my real prayer is for a clear enough gap in the surf to see her way through. Strange, isn’t it, that the most dangerous parts of an ocean row are when dry land is near. Sarah, when you read this you will be safe and you will be there! x Pam
dear sarah
we so wish you a good landing.
we will so miss your blog every morning, but we will never forget the lift and inspiration that you are.
cheers
dick and maggie
How exciting!!! You will be on dry land soon and your mum will be waiting for you!!!
I shall miss your blogs but look forward to seeing photos of the landing.
lots of love,
belinda dade and family xxxxxx
Hi Sarah,
Such vision and inspiration to thread-a-moving-needle at ocean speeds. Yea for you and a celebration in NZ!
Currin
Good luck for a safe landing, Sarah. Yours is one of the truly historic rows. Stay safe, John Williams.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you for the final few hours of your incredible voyage.
Richard Adams
Thanks Ricardo. I couldn’t sleep as I am excited too. Good to have some good news from you Ricardo. Sarah is in the hearts and prayers of people all over the world. And I know there are tears too – from me at least! I can only pray and wish Sarah luck.
Thanks for all the blogs. I feel I really know you Sarah.
Happy landings. LOL.
Steve
Sarah, best wishes for these final few miles!! Will soon be shouting land ahoy:) Will be thinking about you, can’t wait to hear the news that you’re safely ashore.
Will keep my eyes peeled to the news tomorrow!
With love,
James
maybe others have already found and mentioned this, but….on the tracker, click on SAT, zoom right in on the east coast of mo, until your scale says 2 miles, and you can see the outline of the reef. just north of the green route line, you can SEE the larger of the two gaps in the reef! follow the reef north, you’ll see the smaller of the two. maybe i’m just a nerd, but i found it really fascinating to see where she has to go! is she brave and intrepid, or what?!
You GO GIRL! wishing you the best of everything on this final leg…my pussycat whiskers are whincing at the thought of those west winds so I’ll stand on th map & blow it the other way…Best of Luck Sarah!
thanks Rosemary i didnt know that. Jill
Good luck on this final lap and safe landing – dont forget the last 100 meters can be the most difficult and therefroe need the most attention – our prayers are with you
Ricard, thanks for the update. I shall be keeping everything crossed that it all goes to plan and Sarah finds a safe route to the beach. All the very best to you all. Enjoy the celebrations!!
All the best sweet girl happy landings
Hi Sara and Ricardo
Watching the final lap closely here in Fremantle, our thoughts are with you.
Watching for the landing!!
Clem
Praying you in to M. Stay in your groove, Sarah. Know you won’t see this, but in spirit of encouragement, wanted to share the chorus of Chuck Berry’s 1957-recorded (apropos of M longitude) “Rock and Roll Music”:
“Just let me hear some of that rock’n’roll music
Any old way you choose it
It’s got a backbeat, you can’t lose it
Any old time you use it
It’s gotta be rock – roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me”
Sing it, girl, and you’ll bring Dippers on in. Know you can do it!
Inspired and cheering from California!
Janis
Good luck Sarah for a safe arrival.
I tried to donate but the get the message that the donation website has expired. Sarah is so near her fund raising goal and I’m sure, given the publicity she is bound to receive shortly, many more people would want to donate too. Is there any way the donation website can be made live again?
All the best. It has been good to watch your progress over the months. Amazing!
Hi SARAH
GO LITTLE DIPPER BRING THAT GREAT LADY HOME ,YOU BOTH DESERVE IT WE ARE ALL WITH YOU HEAR FROM YOU ON THE BEACH!!!!!!!!!
Hi Sarah!!!!! Thinking about you every minute!!!! one last leg, and gosh not an easy one! Ricardo,I am sure, is working his hardest to guide you through the reefs. Hope the weather is on your side! I can’t imagine what state of mind you must be in, as you must still concentrate to get through the reefs. Excited, Euphoric , you are nearly there girl! You are in my prayer. After landing, REST and PARTY you so deserve it! I will be watching the blog and the minute you land I will be have a Coco Punch in your honor. Cheers from Gerard and myself from Perth.
All the best for today!
Sarah, from day 1 i have followed you, tracked you, spread the word of this courageous and totally inspirational young woman and now after 124 days you are reaching your summit. As I fell asleep last night I prayed for a smooth beach landing.
I hope to track you for years to come and hear more of your life’s journey. It’s going to be AMAZING just like YOU.
lovelovejo
Sarah, my wishes are with you as you come through the reef. Stay safe and good luck.
sarah you are a very brave and courageous girl, well done.
Come on Sarah! One last push!!
Hi Sarah, Lindsay our friend and partner in PREPAMAR has been updating us on your remarkable journey of shear GUTS, COURAGE and DETERMINATION !!!
“FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR AND THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN” Hebrews 11.1 .
All GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT AND HAVE FAITH IN OUR “GOOD LORD”!!!
May GOD guide your every step as you approach ” L’ISLE DE LA PASSE ”
WELCOME TO MAURITIUS !!!
YOUR DAD UP IN THE HEAVENS IS WATCHING YOU WITH GREAT ADMIRATION !!!
CONGRATULATIONS !!!
GOD BLESS
Louis & Lola Fin
THIS IS IT !!!!!THE BIG DAY HAS ARRIVED !!!
CONGRATULATIONS
GOD BLESS
Louis and Lola
Hey, What a team!. Thanks for all the updates and the humour throughout. Look forward to reading the Book. May the final stanza be a safe one. Thinking of you.
What wonderful news. We are and have been with you throughout. Our love and prayers are with you all for a very happy and exciting time ahead.
hi sarah together with Marcel lindsay and Co we shall be on the GROUND TO WELCOME YOU THIS PM !!!
VIVA SARAH !!! VIVA !!!
In South Africa we normally say : what a ” BOYKIE” here it will be more appropriate to say ” WHAT a GIRLIE !!! WITH NERVES OF STEEL !!!
ONCE AGAIN WELCOME TO PARADISE ISLAND !!!
GOD BLESS
Louis and Lola
HI SARAH,YEP I’M SHOUTING,THIS IS SO GREAT,LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SOME COVERAGE OF YOUR ARRIVAL,STAY SAFE ON THE LAST LAP!
REGARDS TO YOU AND THE AMAZING DIPPERS
IAN
God speed, Sarah – happy landings – look forward to seeing pix !