Being strapped to a bed for three days isn’t a comfortable thing, especially during bouncy weather. So it was a very happy rower that was able to get up and walk today after the last three of Very Bouncy Weather. Just like My Favourite Apple Ever the other day, I savoured every lungful of fresh air once I got outside after lunch today and spent a lot of time stretching my muscles. The perfect place to crunch my back is the frame of the hatch – half in, half out, arced like a cat stretching up against it, I can get a good few vertrebrae to crunch. Oh, how I am looking forward to finding a decent sports masseur in Canada! And therein lies the irony at the moment – 23 days in to the voyage and although we have clocked over 900 nautical miles made good (i.e. in the right direction) from Choshi, Japan, I have spent two thirds of that time on the sea anchor, confined to the cabin.
Serious face on as I look out of the cabin during the rough stuff
This afternoon was spent eating and rehydrating, washing and sorting, and then taking in the sea anchor. The latter turned into quite a mission – and after half an hour of heaving on lines it became clear why – the lines had got into a massive spaghetti tangle during the bouncy weather.
A tangled sea anchor is not a happy sea anchor
Look how long my hair has grown after three days in the cabin
And thus my afternoon was spent sorting it all out, in between watching dolphins. Three groups of Common dolphins came past, of which one group circled the boat and dived beneath us blowing bubbles, whizzing and squealing as they went as though playing with radios. I still find it amazing that I can hear the chatterings of these creatures and love it that they stopped to say hello.
Incoming weather over the next few days is not going to help us towards Canada as it blows in from the East. My weather router Lee has given me the goal of staying within a ‘corridor’ of about 40 nautical miles deep in order to avoid a contrary current. So even if I don’t make ground east, the goal is to minimise westward drift and stay within Lee’s latitude goal posts. We’ll see what we can do. First, I shall have to learn what to do with those oars outside – it feels like forever since we last had a go with those.
Evening sun as it all starts settling down
I would like to end this blog by saying a very happy thank you to everyone for their lovely comments during the last few days. Before the capsize I was nervous and tense, with lots of thoughts of the final storm with Gulliver last year – all rather emotional and stressful. And then we capsized. Happy Socks rolled and I let out a sigh of relief. It felt good to have gone over and to come out of it safe and feeling OK about it all. After last year I was scared of capsizing and being prone like that in rough weather. And Happy Socks has just showed me that all will be OK – she rocks. And, happily, rolls.
And hopefully tomorrow we shall have a rower that rows, too.
All salty best,
Sarah and Happy Socks x
PS. All the oranges aboard send their smiley hellos to everyone – I am glad that smiling citrus made everyone so smiley.
PPS Rachel from Bardsey – Great to hear from you! Glad you are loving WTP. I love that quote too. Hope the art course is going well and that family and animals are all well.
Christina Watts – There is soooo much dried fruit on this boat! Lots of seeds and nuts too. And plenty of sweeties/chocs etc as well – not like your boys on the Indy out for a ‘healthy’ row!
Ray Girard – On talking to my fruit… I talk to everything out here!
Stephen Stewart – Hai, genki desu, arigatou. Canada marae teokogiboto-de, ikki mas. Rokagetsu gurai kakareymas. (Thought I would rock out my two sentences of Japanese for you in response to your Japanese 😉
What a trooper you are Sarah. You and happy Socks are as one riding the waves. Hope it calms down soon..
WOW – your hair HAS grown!! At least you didn’t pull it all out after 3 days strapped in!! 😉
Glad you’re getting a bit of fresh air and row time now! Take it all in and enjoy!!
~Gigi in Va. Beach
Good luck Sarah
Hope you get some decent rowing in now , enjoying the picture glimpses of what it’s like out there. Only glimpses mind , I don’t suppose anyone can imagine what it’s really like.
Wishing you the best of luck and some nice weather too .
:0)
Keep Rocking it!
Looking at the sea anchor and the state of your new hair, I take it that you have opened my green envelope letter, then? Did you laugh? Hehehehe.
If not yet, then it will be good if you can hold out a bit longer for that one. After all it’s still about 5 more months till Canada, I’m sure another opportunity will come along for that one!
Happy rowing, o’ Mouse!
I read that you are planning to row the Northwest Passage… is that in 2013? Or when?
I think you Pacific Ocean passage is amazing – keep your eye on the light at the end of the tunnel.
We are cruising from Florida to Oregon, currently in Panama – 90F and humid with raining season ahead.
We are cheering you on from our slice of the boating world.
Wishing smooth seas to Sara and Happy Socks!
Doug & Michelle
Getter done !!!!!
Today is a national holiday in Canada…Victoria Day…celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday. Look for the fireworks to the east….lol. Partying on Happy Socks too?
rock on Sarah,
john
Hang in there Sarah. The times in the cabin give you a chance to rest. There will be more than enough chances to row in the future. Go Well. Chris
Love that photo with the long hair and sunglasses. You look like a 1940’s Hollywood actress. Cheers!
Hi Sarah
What a star, back to my first job of the morning which is to see what’s been happenning to you. So glad to hear that you escaped the cabin for a few hours and its great to have the pictures and be able to share your journey.
Hope the next confined to cabin bit isn’t as long as the last one. Your description of things as you go by are great so real that we can feel we are there. We too are glad that Happy Socks was ok as well as you after the capsize.
We may not be with you in “Happy Sopcks” but we are with you every step of the way.
Much love for now
C & K
woohoo! With you all the way babe! Reading a devouring every word and LOVING the ‘translations’ of the phonecasts. They can keep anyone laughing for days! When you run out of oranges, I suggest a good dose of your own translations. Genius!
Yes the Queens B.D. today ! We call it MAY TWO FOUR weekend even though it falls on May 20th this year. Go figure…. only in C A N A D A you say ! Glad your going to “ROW” again ! Great concept….. an Ocean Rower, rowing. Stay safe Sarah, God’s Speed….. I’ll have a smiley face on when you land in
C A N A D A !
TimBob
Norfolk County, Ontario, C A N A D A
Hi sarah..
The old saying. That if you fall off your bike get right back on.
After waiting all this time I am glad that you came out of the roll over and it has eased your mind.
Love the photos but could you get a video of the rough stuff. Im sure it would help people appreciate
just what you have taken on. I know what you go through after capsizing my boat off the Queensland
coast. But I salvaged it and had many years of pleasure on it after.
Moral of the story. When you capsize wait for the weather to clear and then have another go at rowing.
You are doing every thing right and you are going to get there
Take care and enjoy the sunsets.[ have you seen the green flash yet ].
Cheers
Bruce From sunny Queensland
Sarah,
Does your fruit ever talk back? Along with some fine sports masseurs here in Canada, we also have a posh array of psychiatrists, ….although ….if you are a little out-of-the-box, you will fit in better here. ;)>
And the adventure continues………………..
Sarah,
awesome getting these updates. I have some Adventure Coaching clients in BC that may be able to help out with the sports massage! I’ll send them your blog details and hopefully we can make it happen.
Meanwhile, we are with you in spirit and finding your journey inspirational.
Cheers Sarah
Hi Sarah
OK you can’t fool us … I have spotted your cunning plan ( one that would make Baldrick proud ) You continue to drift South East until you can pick up a Steak and Chips on Midway.
I think you ought to post a phone cast of you singing to yourself ( or your orange ) in the cabin after 3 days of lock down … that would be fun !
Take care and happy rowing.
P