Day 40 – Happy Days

Day 40 – Happy Days

Dictated by Roz at 22.03 on Friday 28^th May and transcribed by her mother Rita Savage.

Position: -07.08271   149.71378

Today was a day of good things.

It started well. I’d gone to bed a zombie but woke up a human being. A good night’s sleep aided by the calmest night I have ever spent at sea. As anyone who has ever stood on the deck of the Brocade when she has been on the water will testify, she is tippy. It only takes the slightest ripple to set her rocking and rolling. Last night I barely knew I was on a boat. The ocean must have been like glass but I was too crashed out to see it.

After watching a fine sunrise I decided that the best way to keep up my salt intake (as per Joan’s advice) would be to have some porridge. I like my oats the Scottish way, made with water and salt. So I plugged in my kettle, but after half an hour had water that was still only warm and had turned an unappetising shade of brown. Not good.

Already half reconciled to no more hot meals for the duration of this voyage, I decided to try out the other kettle – the one that went for a swim a few weeks ago hotly pursued by me. Miraculously it worked and the salty porridge with cashew nuts and freeze-dried cherries went down very well.

At noon I phoned in with the weekly podcast with Dr Kiki at Twit.tv/roz and was delighted to find that our special guest for the show was Steve Palumbi whom I had last seen at TED Mission Blue at the Galapagos in April. Even if you don’t usually listen to the podcast, if you only listen to one, then please listen to this one. Loads of good stuff from Steve about the ocean and what needs to be done. To sum up: do something, don’t just stand by while our world goes to wrack and ruin. Do something, say something, and make something happen.

(If you haven’t yet watched the video of my TED presentation, you can find it on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXqPaHQp4Xw, and Steve’s presentation is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wNzm9v31sI.

This afternoon was hot and sweaty but I plodded along enjoying 50 Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson, my new favourite author.

Sunset was nothing special but I felt more than compensated by the spectacular moonrise. There was a bank of cloud which merged with the night sky so when the first sliver of the glowing orange moon became visible, it was some distance above the horizon, making the moon look like some kind of flying saucer. Nature’s light show was rounded off by some equally spectacular lightning crackling through the opalescent clouds and making them glow from within like hot air balloons seen after dark.

So, over all, a very satisfactory day, with a bit of technical triumph, bit of inspiration, bit of natural beauty, and a decent bit of progress. During the podcast I crossed 150 degrees east, the last major meridian before Madang. In a few days time I should enter the straits between New Britain and Papua New Guinea. The home stretch.

As of tonight, 260 nautical miles to go to Madang.

Nova’s News:

Be on Roz’s Facebook Fan Page and Website:

By the end of this row Roz will have spent over a year alone at sea in a space smaller than a jail cell, more isolated than a Tibetan monk.

Why? Because we can no longer ignore the pollution and environmental damage to our planet.

How can you help? Send us a picture of yourself using a reusable shopping bag to gorozgo@gmail.com and we will post it to Roz’s Facebook Fan Page.

We are aiming for 365 photos symbolizing Roz’s year at sea to let Roz know that she is not alone, that her message is making a difference. Three of the best photos will be drawn and posted onto Roz’s website, so be creative!

Another way you can let Roz know that you are following her journey is by making a contribution in the dollar amount of the days she has been at sea, one month and counting so far. “The energy of your support does reach her out at sea.”

Also take advantage of Roz’s Ebay Store sale. We are offering 10% discount on Roz’s reusable shopping bags until the end of the month. Also available in UK – ask for details through Contact (top line of page)