And so we leave behind the slowest ten degrees of longitude known to Outeykind. This is not to say we haven’t had some brilliant times en route through the land of 80 degrees East but I was a tad worried we might fossilise during the last 600 nauties and puzzle keen young fossil hunters of future millennia.
Fossil hunter #1:’Why, this is strange. Homo sapiens appears to have left the land and returned to the seas sometime during the 21st century…and taken up rowing instead of walking. How curious.’
Fossil hunter#2:’Blimey, ‘ole chap – you don’t think we’ve just found an example of that new and poorly understood breakaway hominid branch do you. Homo rowiensis or something? Look -it’s got marvellous socks…’
And so they would continue digging about in the mud.
Anyway, no fossilisation happened and we are safely over the border into the 70s.
Pleased to say that the sea is marginally less wild today, with 25 (instead of 35) knots of wind. Happily it is blasting us from a better direction for our Rum Punch Campaign. Still, it’s fairly jolly mountainous and rather foamy in places – white horses have been ousted and there are herds of sun bleached woolly mammoths charging about in all directions. Nothing like steep seas to keep you on your toes, eh? Well, I prefer being on my toes to being on my head.
We should eat up miles West in the next few days while this weather lasts and by tomorrow should have fewer than 1200 nauties to run. We are now 2000 from Perth, so nearly two thirds home. However, I’m making no guesses as to how long it will take. It will all depend on the weather, as this last 40 odd days has shown. What’s clear is that we are in for the long haul – longer than planned, but worry ye not, I have plenty of food yet and am still going strong. Mauritius – I shall be rocking up for the rum punches before you too long… Just don’t hold your breath.
So it’s cheerio from me and our new mates, the 70s.I’ve heard they’re a cracking crowd and faster than the 80s- let’s hope so.
S & D x x
PS
Miss Faux’s Y7 Maths Class – Great to hear from you Cambridge! Ask Miss Faux about the Latin Tea Parties. And adventures in Greece. And America.
To everyone who asked about tethering etc – I am ALWAYS attached to the boat.
Land of 80 degrees east – is there something you haven’t told us? Surely you were in a marine environment. Well done so far and keep going
Hi Sarah,
Fossil Hunters# 1 and 2 are wrong – it isn’t a bed of MUD they are finding the owner of the hot socks in, it is chocolate. A kind of marine Cadbury Camp.
You are sounding great – glad you’ve hit the 70s and it is ‘plain sailing’ (ha ha) even though surrounded by the herds of shaggy mammoths. Hope you’re not cold though, and it isn’t ice age.
Happy Friday from the UK – you know, whatever the timings, your shared journey is now the thing. Not since Noah and his Ark has anyone towed such a following of breathless participants! Do you wonder you sometimes get slowed up, with us all in the boat!
Have a good day – best wishes Jane
talking of entering the 70’s, and just to keep you up to date with the outside world, did you know that Farah Fawcett Major had died on the same day as Micheal Jackson?
Every woman over a certain age (ask your mother!) will remember Farah as the mane tossing hottie on Charlie’s angels.
Her ‘kick ass’ character was the inspiration for many young girls in the 70’s to break out of the mould set for us by our foremothers. Always good to see a woman setting new targets. Keep it up.
hi sarah , blimey so you are there for a little paddle about , caught you on the radcliff and mac show the other night , am now following the progres of you and your socks ,good luck in the 70s
As a self-confessed sockaholic, methinks tis good to hear so many mentions of socks. I am so pleased you have a pair of happy socks, tis everybodys privelege, nay, right, to own happy socks. I have had to start knitting them meself to satisfy me cravings.
You are a hoot. Keep us posted.LOve Jill and Stan
Sarah
you’re fab. I love reading the lastest dispatches. Here’s to a quieter week ahead with lots of lovely weather and the wind being kind to you.
love Clare
Dear Sarah
Vanessa and I follow your progress every day. Our iGoogle homepage shows your latest adventures.
Glad to hear that you are back “in the groove” after your recent tumble.
Keep safe and enjoy – we are all urging you on !!
Best regards
Richard and Vanessa
Sarah,
It was great to hear you on the radio again. Not sure you are in the right place for rolling practice!!!,must have been a tad exciting. Christine reached the big 60 this week and you’ll soon be heading there youself alhthough degrees not years. Really pleased you are making progress again, lets hope the wind gives you some help for a while. 2/3 is an exellent achievement and you’ll now be counting down the nauties to Mauritius. Best wishes from us all at RCC
Christine & Trevor
Sarah, just which record are you trying to break? The rowing one? The one for the amount of chocolate consumed on an ocean-going rowing boat? Or the one for the smelliest happy socks? Happy conclusion to your epic!
As ever I do so enjoy reading your blog………how your Mum copes with it though I don’t know! Your experiences this week had my heart in my mouth, and I’ve told the Rowing for Prostate guys to makes sure they have their life jackets on and are tied into the boat! Talked to Tom yesterday and he said they didn’t stop to say hi as they thought you were low on chocolate rations! I look as though I’ve got to take a bag full of chocs to Mauritius………..their latest ploy is to write lists of all they have really missed, including Whispa Bars! Take care Sarah and I hope you still have a good choice of books to while away the time…………mind you the 70’s, hmmmm Sue
Hey lil sister,
It seems an age since I left a comment, however I do follow your blogs on a daily basis. Seems like you have been having fun, the whole capzizing thing must have been a bit on the freaky side, but hey it all adds to the adventure!! 😉 Im glad your ok, and all is well. Things over here are ok, Did you hear about Michael Jackson??
Oh yeah and thanks for the birthday email, il hold you to a drink when you get back!!!
Anyways, keep rowing, keep smiling and you’ll be drinking rum punch on a beach in mauritius before you know it!!!
Speak soon
Big Love
xxxx
Sarah, just wanted to send you a huge hello and tell you that the Rowing for Prostate team are thinking about you and sending our best wishes and huge respect…we heard about your capsize and from first hand experience know that the mighty Indian can pose its challenges at the best of times so know that we are sending our support to you across the lat and longs. Also wanted you to know that the only reason that we didnt swing by and say hello was that we heard you had run out of chocolate so we had to beat a hasty path to M as to be honest we are in desperate need! Hoping we are there to see you in as we will be doing so with bells on! From the RFP team somewhere close by!