Yesterday turned out alright in the end – things usually do one way or another.
As it was sunny and not too rough, I cleaned the forward cabin. It is a storage cabin and so gets rather wet with Bob going in and out all soggy and wet. And where you get water, you get various slimes and moulds too. Yum! I made extra water, too, taking advantage of the sun on the solar panels.
Frustrated with my Eastward return and seeing the wind swing to the SW, I figured if we brought Bob back aboard to rest we could at least gain some North again. So we did, even managing to pinch back a smidgen of West as well. There are a number of low pressure systems rumbling round beneath us, and due in the next few days,too, so North is the place to be. It’s a bit riskier with eddies and the fact that it could be difficult to make Mauritius if I go too far North, but I trust Ricardo and am too excited about my rum punch to let that slip away without a fight. I am also very stubborn – I said I would row from Perth, I did; I said I will row to Mauritius, I will. It might just be the pretty way round…
Finally, today is World Oceans Day. Guess what? Our very own Ricardo is European Ambassador for the Oceans. So today at dinner, lets all raise a glass to these mighty swathes of blue painted on our planet, and promise to do our best to keep them blue and mighty and teeming with life.
Meanwhile, Dippers and I are headed North. It may involve some backtracking as the wind is from the SW, but due to drop.
Outey Toot Toot x
PS
-Jade (10) – Thankyou for your comment Jade! We’ve now looped the loop and are pushing North to find some better wind. Cabin day turned out ok in the end-good chance for a sleep and some chocolate.
-Jill & Stan – I do remember you now, yes. And your lovely boat. Hope you enjoyed Rotto. Hope to visit it next year when I return!
-Barry Gumbert – Thanks for posting the Rime for me, appreciated.
-Steve – It’s on the reading list for when I get back!
-Pam Stocker – We lost 25 miles to the East with our looping. 20 to the South, too.
-Jamie & Emily – Dippers has always wanted a big brother! Recommend laminating the outside egde of the gunwhale/top deck for about 12 inches forward of the gates. The oars have rubbed away the sheen and into the wood. I have laminated with duct tape to reduce collateral!
-Chris & Trevor- Hebrides is my favourite place in the world. Envious.
Pleased the day turned out productive in the end. Have just woken up and had a bizarre dream last night that you let/made me try rowing Dippers on the Thames in london in amongst big cargo ships (not sure what they were doing on the Thames). I was a little scared but gave it a go and Dippers was lovely! Teehee! Love xx
For a few minutes earlier today I figured you saw an interesting spot in the ocean you wanted to see again. I guess they all rather look the same. It’s good to see that you are getting on the way again… or at least not going backwards.
Otter,
Delighted to hear about your whale.
You`ll be amazed to hear Silurian had a 50+ baskers day last week and 100+ cetaceans of 4 species on the same day.Wish I`d been aboard for that but glad I wasn`t data-logging!
Keep on trucking.
Phil
Hi Sarah, Jamie says gaffa tape is good although when Dippers makes it back to uk we will get her in and he will let some pieces in, as we can’t have Dippers looking scruffy! Oh yes and we went out for a curry last night (we’ve found a great place here) and Jamie and I both had a laugh about you stoving in the poppadoms when we all went out in Exmouth – it’s turned into a ritual now for us and it was my turn to punch the plate of poppadoms last night! Keep rowing, stay safe and Happy World Oceans Day to you! Love Emily & Jamie x
Hi! How dreadful for poor you to run out of books. What an Oxford reaction! I should just rejoice that you’ve still got chocolate, and sootyalb, and maybe also that a change of bearing will bring a change of escorting company. Priorities must adapt to circs. (and I don’t mean circles). Indeed I’ll drink to the Big Blue and to you. All the best, Hazel.
hi sarah,just love the perspective”the pretty way round”thats the way to look at it!if i ever find myself without a book i try to recall passages from books i’ve grown to love,seems to work really well with the likes of fitzgerald and kerouac but hopefully you won’t need to do that as i’m sure we are all rooting for you to get some sunshine soonest……
regards to you dippers and that gadabout bob
ian
When you get home you might like to try ‘Betsy Cadwalladwr – a Crimea Nurse’. She’s quite a character, to-and fro-ing between Australia and the East and West Indies in the 1840’s, with a spell in the Crimea with good old Flo too! She was obviously quite a character, got into lots of scrapes, was proposed to in several continents, and it races along!
Always fascinating and inspiring to read your blogs. It’s nice to know that there are real adventurers out there. Makes amends for those of us at home with kids and washing!
XXX
Glo
Hey my lovely – once again its been amusing catching up on your blog, and a belated happy birthday to you! I have been in Egypt (unfortunately I’ve been a litle uncultured and didn’t move off the resort so now it requires a trip back to to do the sights!! he he…typical!). We will have to celebrate your birthday again when you get back…hurry so your back sooner! : )
Take Care and lots of Love…keep up the blog entries as they are great!
Ems x x x x
You are welcome! Anything else I can find for you? Moby Dick??
Who’s your favorite poet? Poe? Robert Frost? Lewis Carrol?
The road not taken Robert Frost.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Sarah Have you seen a Moonbow yet? The Lunar Rainbow or Night Rainbow?
It sounds very special ~ They are very rare because moonlight is not very bright.A bright moon near to full is needed,it must be raining opposite the moon, the sky must be dark and the moon must be less than 42* high.Put all these together and you do not get to see a moonbow very often! The other pairs boat SC, has reported seeing this amazing Moonbow during the weekend.
Now, wouldn’t I love to see that over the Ocean.
xtina xxx
Hi Sarah, I have just spent a delicious hour catching up on your successes and hiccups. I love your tenacity and determination which I know will be rewarded by achieving your (3?) world records and much deserved rum punch (I would up the ante to copious bottles of the finest champers myself!!!)
In lieu of reading material, do you have any writing utensils – you could make a great start on that book!