Faced with an adverse current, I rowed all morning and only made two miles. I don’t know quite how that works, as I would have thought I could out-row a 0.5kt current by more than that, but anyway, such is ocean life.
So, this afternoon, rather than continuing to bang my head against the figurative brick wall (the nearest literal brick wall being some 1,500 miles away), I decided to wait for the wind to increase to help me across the current, and to treat myself to an afternoon off. The conditions were the calmest they have been since I left from Fremantle a lifetime ago, so it was a perfect opportunity to do a few more domestic chores.
It took me an hour or two to hang my sleeping bag out to air, do my laundry, sort out my recycling from my rubbish, and brush my hair for the first time in 70 days. Then I sat down to figure out how to end world poverty, which took me a little longer. 🙂
Seriously, though, I did spend a while thinking about it. And Vic and I had a chat about it when we recorded our Roz Roams podcast” today. We had a poor satphone connection so I couldn’t hear all that he said, but I think we made a good start on putting the world to rights. We may not quite be on track for the Nobel Peace Prize, but we’re doing our best.
So, as today draws to an end, all is quiet on the Indian front. The ocean is silent, just slapping and gurgling around Sedna’s hull. The last time I looked, a couple of my yellow-finned friends were milling around “downstairs”, under my boat. The sun has set and the sky is almost clear, with just a few cumulus clouds blotching the western sky, like disappointed groupies hanging around after the rock star has left the building.
And on that poetic(ish) note, I shall bid you goodnight. I have a chance of a good night’s sleep, with my freshly-aired sleeping bag, freshly-laundered pillowcase, and the waves on best behaviour. The other great joy of a calm night is that I can sleep with the ventilation holes open, which means I don’t wake up with a stuffy head and feeling as if someone is sitting on my chest. In fact, the only bummer is that I will wake up tomorrow even further away from my destination, but no doubt conditions will change soon enough.
Other Stuff:
Vince and Scott – Thanks for the ID on my fishy friends. Yummy though sashimi would be, I think I would be a bit squeamish about preying on my companions. Friends are few and far between out here.
Shana – easy for you to say that a buggered iPod is no big deal! I spent 103 days alone on the Atlantic with no iPod. Been there, done that, and no urge to do it again. I’m going with Eric’s view that “morale” is the primary power source of my boat. Luckily the iPod is still staggering along, and a couple of the reserve team iPods are also showing good vital signs.
John H – Omega Point Theory sounds very interesting, and I have made a note to follow up on that when I reach dry land. However, I do find it rather scary to consider the possibility that humanity could be the pinnacle of the universe’s achievements. I suspect it could do a lot better if it tried. I would have a few recommendations for Humanity 2.0.
Quote: There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.
(Aldous Huxley)
Sponsored Miles: No forward progress, but thanks to new sponsors covering some of the miles that will need to be rowed again – Kathleen Miritello, Richard Baguley, John Herrick, Laura Prouty and Joseph Kwiatkowski.
It sound horrible but is birth control a part of ending poverty?
i say yes it is …. resources are low – do we really need more people to need what we do not have available ???Â
Laura: Tried it in China. Killed lots of baby girls; now there’s a shortage. Question: Which individuals have the moral authority to make the necesary decisions, and how are they to be enforced? And don’t say “It’s not for me to say” because it is – you have to take individual responsibility for your statements and act on them. You are the “we” to whom you refer!
http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_reveals_new_insights_on_poverty.html
Have you seen any of Hans Rosling’s work on TEDx ?
He has many other fascinating videos… Cheers all~
Jay
This one is also optimistic and imho eludes to the idea that together, many things thought impossible can be achieved.
http://youtu.be/jbkSRLYSojo
Row Roz Row!
http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html
Thanks OJ, this is a good one Hans has done as well!
Another thing that you may have missed Roz is Rebecca Watson (SkepChick). A man asked her to have coffee with him. She wailed that it was sexist for him to ask her and wanted the world to know that she did not appreciate it. Even Richard Dawkins wrote that there were far worse things in the world then to be asked to coffee. Rebecca wrote back “I should post this for the record: yes, Richard Dawkins believes I
should be a good girl and just shut up about being sexually objectified
because it doesn’t bother him. Thanks, wealthy old heterosexual white
man!”  What a world we live in!
Hello Roz, My name is Stephen Stewart. I have been following your rowing adventure for a couple of weeks now. Great stuff. Thank you. Years ago I lived in San Francisco and rowed on the Bay in Whitehalls. Went in the Pacific Ocean a few times but can not imagine what it must be like to row across it. Wow! Your post about rowing against the current struck a cord with me. We were out on the bay one day when my friend said she would like to go out under the Golden Gate Bridge. We rowed as fast as we could for about 20 minutes against a flood tide and watching the ranges realised we were going backwards. Finally gave up and headed for home. We had a blast anyway. All the best, Stephen
Stephen, if you had been watching the beginning of Roz’s row across the Pacific in 2008 you would know what a struggle she had to get out from under the Golden Gate Bridge. People watching were about to give up and go home when she finally did it. Check the archived blogs probably about May 2008. I can’t get to my records right now to be more precise. Thanks for your comment. RitaÂ
It was May 25th when Roz made it through the GGB to the Pacific.Â
OK thanks, I will check the tide for that day. Would that I had been watching. Must have been a flood tide. Probably an onshore wind too. Makes it a bit choppy, especially near the south tower of the bridge. Dancing water. Most people do not know there are reverse currents near shore, similar to eddies in rivers. Thank you for the reply Rita. All the best, Stephen
As a subscriber of you podcast, I wish that it was more about your efforts and what is happening with you. I have been following you since you started your trip accross the Pacific and I greatly admire you and what you are trying to accomplish. I have no interest in some guy in Sweden and what he is doing. The last podcast started with his attendance at a wedding. I could not listen to it.
Calm… like the ocean. Sleep tight. Night night 🙂