Dictated by Roz at 21.08 and transcribed by her mother Rita Savage
Position: -07.55639S 153.92323E
A good day for progress, after four days of trying I finally made it back across the line of longitude at 154 degrees east. Hopefully this time it is for keeps. But who knows?
This morning I woke to find that the wind had shifted to the east (good) so as quickly as I could I got the sea anchor back on board and got rowing. Soon after that the wind veered into the south which meant that it was pushing the waves against the current so it all got a bit choppy and messy.
I bludgeoned on regardless and although I don’t think I would have won any points for style, I don’t care. I only care about the numbers and they show that today I have made 0.3 . . . of a degree south and 0.25 of a degree west. Not spectacular by any means but given the present conditions, quite proud of my day’s work.
This evening I am feeling rather reeky. I seem to have hit some kind of threshold of grime tolerance. Bucket and sponge baths are the best part of the evening but right now I would give almost anything for a proper shower and access to a washing machine. Suddenly I am feeling itchy and dirty and generally grotty. Maybe tomorrow I will treat myself and wash my hair. Always good for morale.
My feelings of disgust have been compounded by the grottiness of this patch of ocean. Today, as well as empty drinks bottles, I have been seeing hundreds of little pieces suspended throughout the water. I can’t say with accuracy what they are pieces of, but they definitely don’t look organic, but I suspect that they are remnants of plastic bags and such like. Probably about a dozen pieces per cubic foot of water. Yuck!
I also saw a couple more yogurt pots. If I had a home, one of the first things I would buy would be a yogurt maker. One of my favourite breakfasts is yogurt with fresh fruit and nuts. But those empty yogurt pots really add up. I’ve got a friend in Flagstaff who makes his own yogurt and he says it is dead easy.
Can’t think of a catchy slogan for this one though. Is there a word in the English language which rhymes with yogurt?
Roz’s EBay Store:
Last few hours remaining to bid for the signed photograph of Roz on her boat. Find it in the Roz Savage items.
Please remember the request from Blue Frontier Campaign to vote EVERY DAY for Roz and Margo: http://pep.si/9ZMuai. Many more votes needed!
The following are the only possibilities of rhyming with ‘yogurt’that I could come up with: blogger, hogherd, jogger, logger, Roger, and, conceivably, yurt (the portable dwellings of the Central Asian steppe).
Will, it just came to me … “inert” rhymes … maybe somebody can improve on this double entendre:
IT’S NOT INERT, THAT POT OF YOGURT
conundrum: healthful aspects of the active cultures vs lingering consequences of the plastic pot
BTW, if anybody missed it, http://j.mp/OurTodayIsForever is a shocking visual of Roz’ observations.
Better to use the word yogurt early in the line and rhyme something else, like pot.
We’re out on an island this week and not taking much computer time, but still thinking of you Roz, and keeping track.
Congrats Roz, you have passed the southern-most tip of Bougainville Island. Excellent progress yesterday making 49 miles nearly due south. The little island closest to you is Mono Island:
Mono Island is the largest island of the Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands, at 7°21′S 155°34′E. The village of Famalai is the main population centre of the island. The island is rimmed by limestone cliffs of more than twenty metres in height. The island’s population is around 1,800.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_Island
Happy rowing, Roz!
P.S. Watch for more GreenDeed$ as you pass every minute of latitude.
Hi Mrs. Savage,
came across your inspirational adventure/s while taking a break from researching alternative ways of living. Your story rekindled my adventurous dreams of backpacking alone in remote wilderness areas of the world. Over the years, I’ve accumulated much knowledge and gear with not much real-world travel experience. Have finally gotten backpack down to manageable weight with essential gear. Tried to keep luxury items to minimum. However, after being laid-off, must spend remaining funds to find comfortable place for Mom to live since unable to keep house. So now plan to build cabin in remote rugged wilderness and live off land. Unemployment maybe blessing in disguise as I may finally get that chance for an adventure, even if not as originally planned. I remain optimistic for what happens next. Who knows what the tide may bring. Sorry for the long winded off-topic reply.
Thanks Mrs. Savage for sharing your courageous and inspirational story of living your dreams.
Oh and btw, Yogurt- Comfort (in the wings of an Angel)
Take Care and God bless,
Elias
“You got to yogurt yourself”… “Yogurt Yourself”…. “If you want yogurt, yogurt yourself!”
I think its a good idea to offer people viable solutions to problems so I like your pointing the finger towards a yogurt maker. It might worth looking into creating The Roz Yogurt Maker (private label) with parts of the proceeds going towards removing some of the trash from the oceans. Your always thinking friend 😉
Did you have Rozgurt today?
Been following you since i saw your clip on Tedtalks, i found a clip on youtube just after i read todays blog, and i thought i share it with you all, it kinda ruined my day, but i already knew this was happening, i wonder if everyone else does, or it’s a sobering awakening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8zh5IluTeE
I wish you all of luck Roz, and say hello to your little spiderfriend from me 🙂
Best of wishes from Sweden!
Roz,
Is voting more than once allowed?
-Eric
Words that rhyme with yogurt: assert, alert, T-shirt, braggart, comfort, concert, convert.
I’ll leave it to others to come up with catchy slogans…
Well done Unca Doug and JR! Sorry, no prizes apart from being mentioned here! Eric, if you are referring to the Pepsi voting – yes please vote every day!
Alf’s Perspectives – by Alf the spider – one web at a time.
Lessons in Attachment
May 17, 2010
It was just the other day, as I recall. I’d found the perfect spot — partly in the sun, partly in the shade. A nice round rod about 6 feet long where I could easily move from sun to shade. I could walk up and down the long rod without having to jump from one thing to another. No fear of falling. Just attach another silken thread. Nice sunny day with no rain. Didn’t have to avoid getting washed overboard by rain.
There I was, sitting on the shady side of the rod. Minding my own business. The naked lady sitting in the boat picked up the rod and screamed – Eeeek! I wouldn’t have bitten her. I’ve gotten used to her rambling around the boat. Fortunately, being a well prepared good spider, I still had a silken thread attached to the boat. So I didn’t go overboard when she dropped the boat hook into the depths of the sky blue ocean. I just reeled in my silken thread. Now I am resting here on the side of the boat.
What! Water drops! Watch out! A wave this high on the boat? — not a wave — a splash. Where did that naked lady go? Her hat and dark glasses are sitting on the deck. A nice swan dive, or in this part of the ocean it is more likely a Booby dive. What is she thinking? I would never go anywhere without my silken thread attached to something solid. It just makes good spider sense.
She’s been gone an awfully long time. A long time for a spider is a really long time, because we’re used to waiting, waiting, waiting. But there — way in the distance — thar she blows! Kicking and flailing — swimming for all she’s worth. It’s not Michael Spitz, it’s not the 41 year old Dara Torres, the oldest female medal winning Olympian swimmer. It’s not a Mermaid with blond hair and a graceful dolphin-like tale propelling her smoothly through the waves. It’s Roz Savage – Ocean Rower!! — Without a boat! — She swims slower than she rows.
Finally, she’s hanging on to that big polypropylene rope draped from both sides of her boat just for climbing back into the boat. Without that firmly attached polypropylene rope she couldn’t get back in the boat. Now she’s inside the boat, out of breath, panting and sweating. Yes, you can see the sweat. She is sweating so much that you can see the sweat pouring off her body long after the ocean water has dripped off. It must have been quite a race! A REAL race for her life! But alas, the boat hook is gone — lost in the mile deep open ocean. It wasn’t attached either.
Alf’s Perspective — When you venture out, act like a good spider and stay attached to something safe and solid.
THE SEAS ARE GURGLING WITH YOGURT POTS AND ALL THE OTHER PORTABLE VESSELS OF MAN’S DISPOSABLE UNKEMPTNESS SINCE THE STONE BOWL.
BAN OR AT LEAST BOYCOTT PLASTIC PLEASE!
W@NOAA
Nice, Dave.
May I add an inspired moral for humans, naked or not?
Protect your assets,
Weave a solid web for life.
-Wise old arachnid
Hey Roz,
Making Yogurt is easy and you don’t need a fancy machine to do it.
Basically, you heat milk up and sterilize a jar to kill any stray bacteria. 80c should do it.
Then let it cool.
Then add some active culture yogurt from your last batch, possibly the last batch you ever need to buy, and mix it up.
Then let it sit. The active cultures do their thing and in a day or so depending on how warm you keep it, you have yogurt. The longer you wait the thicker and tangier it gets.
There are more details on what is happening on wikipedia.com and how to instructions on instructables.com but those are the basics.
I have made it a few times myself it is so much better than store bought.
Hope the winds are in your favor,
Jeff C
Yogurt can also be made, similar method to one described above, but left overnight in a thermos flask.
When rowing across the Pacific
Roz Savage found trash so specific.
The plastic it stinks
For yogurt and drinks,
Recycle, reuse, be terrific.
Maybe creating limericks will cheer you!
Roz, only too happy to send a few pesos, guilders, carrot$ and GreenDeed$ — you will need some kind of currency depending on where you make landfall.
During WWII, I spent a few days around South New Guinea Islands, Munda, Sterling, and Kulambugara — a Japanese-held island — and thankfully survived the experience. We were “lucky” because on the way over, our ship hit a mine that buckled to fan tail three feet up, but instead of sinking we made it to Munda and Sterling for repairs.
Have spent time off and on since Christmas in hospital and rehab facility reading your amazing episode. No iron kettles, thank you. Use your carrot$ well and to your health.
Cuz Larry (Related to UncaDoug in a fatherly sort of way.)
I do eat yogurt from little pots but I put them in the recycle bin where I work. Hopefully they’re actually recycling them and not just putting them in a landfill!
I’ve also got a lovely stainless steel spork! It’s a good testament to my change in attitude that I felt so bad for forgetting it today and having to get a plastic one for my lunch.
Keep up the good work and inspiring change in more and more people!
Evening Roz- Rota,
Good to read your compass is willing to listen to your travel intentions. I will hold out that Roz can row into the better and continuous surface currents. Heading to safer and nnw destinations. Early comments I made about rowing closer to shore lines. There is that sweet spot where the main surface currents weaken and the tidal currents (to and from shore , perpendicular) meet. The main safety insurance policy I kept on board(sail boats and kayaks, etc.)- rope, chain and anchor. I know the oceans are deep, ropes long. Etc.. etc.. I know the drift, sleep, coral, etc, it must be frustrating to only go where the waters will take you Roz.
I do not know if the record books consider setting an anchor as landing ( trip completed)? Most gps have programmable distance alarms. Roz and team likely know their equipment inside and out.
This part of your journey must be like parts of the movie- water world with Kevin kosner? No brainer clues are all around, in plain sight. When the citizians forget the “we” and focus on the” me”.
Word for the day:
Phantasmagoria-(fan-taz-muh-GORE-ee-uh)- a dream like, constantly changing series of visions.
Quote: Fear is a question. What are you afraid of and why? Our fears are a treasure house of self knowledge if we explore them- Marilyn French
I hope the fresh bath refreshes the tiger in the row boat. Find that calm spot in your strong heart friend. Tap into all the electrons nature is sending. Know you have thousands of smiles of support . Pulling with you toward your final beach landing. Your good message shows.
Be safe, row strong.
bill
Good grief, how did Roger get in there as one of the rhyme words? U mean like, “Roger, yogurt and out”? 🙂 keep going Roz and pay my silliness no mind!! BUT, the mental image of the plastic you are seeing, makes me sick and MAD!
Thanks to all – Angela, I love your version based on the yogurt pot. Larry, delighted to hear from you again. I suppose you can visualise again what the area is like where Roz is at present. Being at war brought travel to new areas, but what an awful reason for going to previouly unvisited places. Seattle-Dave, Roz had a cuckle when I told her about Alf’s tale. Roz says that there are some insects on board, so presumably Alf is getting some meals.
Re: Rhyming with Yoghurt. Boggart! A malecolent fairy who causes milk to sour. Sounds entirely appropriate.
From the wiki…
In English folklore, a boggart (or bogart) is a household fairy which causes things to disappear, milk to sour, and dogs to go lame. Always malevolent, the boggart will follow its family wherever they flee. In Northern England, at least, there was the belief that the boggart should never be named, for when the boggart was given a name, it would not be reasoned with nor persuaded, but would become uncontrollable and destructive.
It is said that the boggart crawls into people’s beds at night and puts a clammy hand on their faces. Sometimes he strips the bedsheets off them. Sometimes a boggart will also pull on a person’s ears. Hanging a horseshoe on the door of a house is said to keep a boggart away.
Kieran,
I’ve said before that I learn something new here every day. Thanks, you proved it once again.
So, we need to put the boggart to constructive use … to make the “yogurt pots” disappear …
Let’s tame the boggart!
Tame ourselves: extinct our waste.
Plastic in its place.
Another Wikipedia comment about Boggart: Boggart Hole Clough is a large urban park in Blackley, a district of Manchester, England. It occupies an area of approximately 76 hectares (190 acres), part of an ancient woodland, with picturesque cloughs varying from steep ravines to sloping gullies. Clough is a local dialect word for a steep sided, wooded valley.
The park stages a number of cross-country events and mountain bike rides, along with summer fundays and an annual bonfire and firework display. It also provides facilities for a number of other activities, ranging from boating to athletics.
It has been claimed that the clough is haunted by a boggart, a mischievous spirit found mainly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, perhaps in an attempt to explain the unusual name.[1][2] In 2008, Boggart Hole Clough attained the Green Flag Award for the eighth year running.
At least there is something “Green” to do with Boggart!
Hooray for Larry and his comment – good to learn something new each day at his age!
I make yogurt in my slow cooker (Crock Pot) and it’s very simple! Efficient since I use it for so many other purposes. No need for a separate device!
Be encouraged Roz. So many of us out here impacted by your effort and message:)
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