The weather Gods start to shine down on us 19:21.313N 35:31.000W
Row Across The Pond
Richard Hoyland and Steve Coe
Sun 7 Feb 2010 20:54
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Rich....
Today we've been given a big push forward by winds coming in
from the North East that developed around 9:00 this morning as we came out
from the nocturnal shift patterns. It's been a great morale boost as we are
hitting previously unknown average speeds for the boat...the forecast is for
this to last the week so it will be a welcome change to see the distance to
Antigua slipping away. We're pushing to get to the other side as fast as
our puny arms and legs can carry us.
As health spas go, this one is fairly punishing, but the
weight I had previously smuggled around my midrift is starting to evaporate away
with each oarstroke. The tan is coming along nicely..the major drawback
is that I fear my hands will never come out of these claws that I have
attached to my arms (the muscles have cramped up).
Another warm one today...once your shift is done you dive into
the cabin and attempt to cool down...being a ginger it's even more important...I
wasn't built for such conditions. My ancestors probably were more used to viking
longboats in the waters around North Europe, rather than down at these
co-ordinates. (Anders, I think you're right, it ,must be viking blood that has
driven me to do this). With my full beard, I look the part as well
;-)
Big thanks to Cath for sacrificing two chickens to the weather
gods ;-) It worked :-) If you could keep them happy for the next month or
so?
Hi to Ron & Sylvia, thanks for the email..it is a real
shame about the litter. See you all soon
Gabriel, we hope for the daily averages to start rising as a
result of us being more used to the conditions, the boat being lighter, winds
being more consistent? and a little bit of magic..hoping for a minm of 2knots
averages if possible (48nm days). I want to be in Antigua for the 9th March at
the very latest! Sorry to hear that it's still cold in Wilmslow...should be a
shock to the system returning home. Great set of newspaper quotes...this one tickled me...
A young girl who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable
teeth was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast guard spokesman
commented, 'This sort of thing is all too common'.
(The Times) Steve
About two o'clock this morning i noticed for the first
time, in this wildeness, something I had not seen before,,, During the last
couple of days we have had a very high pressure system and the seas became
very flat with no apparent swell, The seas being so
flat allowed the horizon to be visible for 360 degrees and
for a distance so far not experienced, maybe 20 miles or so.. When the sea
has the usual rolling swell normally 2 or 3 metres, by and large you are either
on top or beneath the height of each wave therefore can see relatively
short distances.. (incidentally, the distance from the top of one wave to the
other can be easily 500m apart) In the early part of the race, another crew
could have been only half or 1 mile away but most of the time the
waves would obscure any chance of seeing each other, During the night
time when there 'is a swell' and no moonlight, your night vision enables
you to focus on the waves all around,, Last night however, there were
no waves, no moonlight either to determine any distance, simply the inky
dark sky and the sea horizon were totally indistinguishable,,, and the net
effect was my very own private planetarium..... The blend of the sea with
the night sky gave a dome like appearance of 360 degree all around and all above
and around were stars and stars and stars and more stars... quite a
treat,,
Later during the ealry morning, on one side of
this dome like theatre, a tiny dim light on the horizon became visible,
Firstly, i thought it must be a ship, but its brightness seemed too dull
and a little mysterious if not hauntuing. Gradually the light revealed itself to
be the most laziest of moons possible as it gradually rose quietly above
the horizon. Along with the shooting stars this
completed the making of the most perfect of planetariums.. What made
this happen on this night like no other was the flat calm seas merging perfeclty
with the night sky,,,
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