Soon to be reunited…
Lucy here – Sarah’s fiancee. IT’S NEW YORK DAY!! Excitement doesn’t come close enough to what I’m feeling right now. I am happily tapping away in amongst piles of clothes and bags packing and repacking and double and triple checking where I’ve left my passport.
I want to start by thanking you all for supporting Sarah through this mind blowing Pacific feat. The encouraging and supportive messages in her decision to firstly head north to Adak, and all the lovely words on her row in and then once on land were so powerful. When Sarah couldn’t check emails out there or when she was a bit down and just hearing another voice was a comfort, we would have ‘story time’. I would sit at my computer in bed and read every comment to her over the phone to her little cabin, and I cannot tell you what that did for her. It gave her massive strength knowing so many wonderful people were behind her.
The last couple of weeks have been an emotional time- watching the little yellow tracker dot move closer to land, and constantly refreshing and updating web pages to see if there have been any tweets or texts on progress. Messages flew back and forth between Sarah’s Mum and I: ‘Heard anything?’ ‘No, not yet, you?’ ‘Wait, yes! 32 miles to go.. Phew.’ And then minutes later the same messages sent and received until further news.
The few days before Sarah’s landing have been some of the hardest of them all for me. Feeling pretty helpless, whilst she battled the winds, currents and foggy conditions in towards land and totally exhausted. All I could do to reassure myself was to think who exactly was in the little white boat rowing it home. If anyone on this earth could do this, it would be Sarah. Even the impossible is possible with a Sarah Outen in charge. Figuring out the Aleutian waters is an ongoing puzzle – something that even throws up surprises to local fishermen with its formidable currents, and whilst the locals stared in bewilderment, and fishermen shook their heads in disbelief, this little white ocean rowing boat waltzed ashore.
It seems landing in Adak was meant to be built in to L2L and it has been a perfect place for the often tricky transition of adjusting from ocean to land life. Surrounded by the ocean and mountains and supportive, helpful islanders to welcome her ashore, the switch has been effortless. And for this I want to thank everyone who has helped and welcomed Sarah and Tony and James to that beautiful island. Forever grateful.
Once on land, stormy weather wobbled satellites which meant internet was patchy and communications back to the UK limited. Which, again was a great way for Sarah to enjoy her first few days ashore and focus on sorting Happy Socks without too much distraction.
For now know she is safe and en route to NYC and I am the self-appointed happiest, proudest, smileiest fiancée there is and I cannot wait to get on that plane and be in New York with her. Thank you all again for supporting Sarah, Happy Socks and Chimpy.
Lucy x
Luce, missed you two by a day!! Gutted. But know that I might be in London soon. 🙂
Hello Lucy and Sarah
Just enjoy and have a wonderful time in NYC
Best wishes
C & K
Well done both of you ~ now enjoy ~
lots love xtina
Wishing you both the most AMAZING reunion and belated joint (!) celebration of your engagement…and hoping for no storms, contrary currents, diversions, icelandic ash, etc on the flight back (just to keep up that rollercoaster feeling til home time!).
Have a fabulous time enjoying New York, both of you, and well done Sarah! You continue to inspire us in Cape Town with your extraordinary feat.
Yippeee!!
I got so excited about this wonderful reunion that I have re-ignited the “7 day challenge” with my database (so far we have raised 235 pounds towards our target of 1000 pounds for Sarah’s charities). See details at http://www.adventurecoaching.co.nz/sarah-outen
Wonderful to know you are both on your way to NYC from different points on the globe and I wish you a very happy reunion. Thank you for your blog update, Lucy. Safe traveling to you both and once again, congratulations!
Have a fantastic reunion and a great time in New York – you both more than deserve it! Happy times to come………..
Can’t belive this is the same Lucy I was cider apple picking with not 24hrs ago!! Sooo happy for you Lucy that you have found such a wonderful person to share your life with … go and enjoy xx
Auntie Janeo
Luce – I had no idea you could write so beautifully!! Now you have made me cry! I’m out of of the office now so they are flowing!! Unconventional maybe, but wonderful certainly!! So pleased for you both! Huge love & big hugs Chris xxx
🙂
Beautiful!!! It’s no easy feat being the “one who waits” so I am thrilled for you both that you are soon to be together again!!
~Gigi in Virginia Beach
Hello Lucy, its Gran & Gramp so very happy for you and can’t wait to meet Sarah.
Love to you both.
Sarah here – made it to NYC and now waiting for Luce!
Sarah and Lucy have a wonderful time in the Big Apple…the Empire State Building..what a view, you might even see a little white dot in the Pacific!
Congrats to both of you! Enjoy your happy reunion!!
=) <3
Thanks, Lucy. We’re all so excited for you two. Congrats and enjoy your time together. Bruce
My dad spent World War II on Adak. I hope someday to create a Web site showing all the memorabilia he brought back. I remember him saying that on Adak, they felt lucky to have two sunny days a year! Congratulations upon your unforgettable and brave voyage across the north Pacific.
Major rejoicings here! Reunion blessings 🙂
welcome to NYC Sarah…how you going to cope with all those cars and people and noise and smells and sounds and…….Lucy of course. Take it easy on the bagels and pancakes though:)
hi sarah/lucy,thanks for offering a window into what should be your private world,it illuminates some of the less obvious stress and worry for those much closer tothisepicadventure,it is warming toknowourmessages were important to sarah at tough times,equally I hope lucy drew some comfort from the support realising so many of us were behind this amazing feat,really hope you get some proper alone time in nyc away from us all,you both deserve this so much
have a great time
ian
Heartfelt words there Lucy, made me get a lump in my throat! Sarah has been and still is a great inspiration to me ever since she was a part of Personal Everest, and I have been reading the blog updates and sending positive vibes daily for a successful crossing. Such stamina, such a beautiful person, such an amazing feat …..have an absolutely awesome time in America together. Love to you both. Juliet xx
thankyou Luce. i have always hesitated to take up space, especially during the indian ocean row.
Congratulations to youu both and the team. Enjoy NY.
Stan and Jill
With all our love to you both – I can feel the excitement already!! Have a fantastic time and cant wait to see you both again so we can celebrate in style and open yet another bottle of Champagne!! x x x x
Hi there Lucy – I just wanted to say what a lovely heartfelt email – in all of Sarah’s journey since she left SHS’s Foundation Lecture back in March this year – all of us who read her blog felt we have travelled with her. But to hear from you too at the end of this chapter really was very special and made us all feel a part of her extended family.
Go get her in NY and have a fab time!! Bring her back to the UK safely and maybe her feet stay on terra firma for a while longer! Hope to meet you at Sarah’s next Foundation Lecture at SHS.
With all very best wishes,
Tooty (former SHS girl myself, 92)
xx
YOU DONE VERY GOOD SARAH,PAS GOOD TIME WITH YOUR FRIEND TANKS FOR ALL… THIS IS BIG.:) VERY NICE TO FALLOW YOU ON THAT JOURNEY.. FROM: CANADA
Hello Lucy and Sarah,
You couldn’t write a better ending to THIS chapter Lucy. Enjoy NYC together.
I am now hoping Mylene fellow Canadian whom I have met makes it safely rowing to France. Her incredible rendezvous with the QM2 days ago near the half way point again reminds me just how challenging both your journeys have been and how brave you are Sarah.
All the best,
john, eastern Lake Ontario
How lovely to hear your words, Lucy. It must have been so hard for you – even though you have such faith in Sarah. Have a great reunion and enjoy the time together – you both SO deserve it!
Wow Lucy, easy to forget how hard it must have been for you – so much easier to be the one who is “doing”.
Have a really great time in New York – you really have both earned it.
Much love
Lou and Ray
Welcome to New York City. What a great place for the two of you to reunite. You guys both deserve the good times ahead.
Wow, totally amazing Sarah. Loved catching up on your blog when we get the chance. Huge congratulations from the road. Enjoy your recovery and prep for the next leg, and congratulations to you both on the engagement. Totally awesome, what a great way to finish.
Grab that happiness when you can, Sarah, …and savour it. Hope you don’t mind if I share a bit of it, for you & your lady. I AM happy for you.
I’ve finally caught up with the trip, and congratulations on achieving those dreams so far, you have done so many people proud. Ill finish writing this and then donate to such a good cause. Must be nice to fnally see you gf/fiancee, saviour those happy times, they will get you through the hard times. Look forward to reading more, when the next journey gets underway.