It’s traditional to have a bit of a party at the halfway mark. But unfortunately the celebrations have had to be postponed until conditions are calmer. I still have the TimTams that Lesley gave me in Geraldton for my halfway ceremony, and I have a couple of other gastronomic treats in store. But today has been hellaciously rough, and life was challenging enough without trying to do anything much beyond rowing.

This is going to be the shortest of all blogs. The ocean showed me what kind of mood she is in just before I retired to the cabin. I had just rinsed off all the saltwater and was hanging wet garments outside to dry when a monstrous wave ambushed me, soaking me to the skin. Well, skin was all I was wearing, actually. But I was mightily annoyed at having to repeat my ablutions.

And as I am writing, waves are crashing noisily into the side of the boat. I’m still a bit gun-shy after my only significant injury of the voyage so far happened in conditions like these, when I was sitting exactly where I am now, inside the cabin, shortly before being propelled headfirst into the opposite wall. So every time one of these juggernauts hits, it sets my heart racing and my adrenaline surging.

So, apologies for brevity. I’m going to upload this and then go get safely horizontal, strapped to my bunk.

Quote for the day: Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
(Franklin P. Jones)

Latest Podcast is now online: Circles of Doom

Sponsored Miles: Todd Lowe (2), Doug Grandt, Rien Scheffer, Thomas Johnson, Lance Mamiya, Bill Wallace, Joan Sherwood, Larry Grandt – many thanks to you and many others for helping Roz reach this important stage.

(Why Roz’s progress is not shown)

24 Comments

  • Congratulations on reaching the HUGE benchmark of halfway! “It is all downhill from here!” Glad you are strapped in and safe! Huge relief. Be safe!

    All the best!

  • Yayyyyy Rozzzz …. “halfway” is half what I’ve been waiting to hear.

    But as for the length of the blog today, it’s totally perfect, poignant, philosophical, prim, proper and punny … when I read the words “soaked me to the skin” for about half an instant I thought “but, she …” and then the punch line. Ha ha ha (would those be “half laughs”?)

    So now that you are safely dried off, strapped down, tucked in and totally cozy, I hope you at least get a halfnight’s  sleep . . . . . .

    And here’s the first half of a toast to you, Roz. Hip Hip . . . . . . !!

  • It just now dawned on me (it is actually heavy fog here at the moment so we cannot see the sunrise) that yesterday’s Sponsored Miles shout out for my dad was his birth year, and today’s shout outs were my sister’s and yours.  In spite of the rough weather, you are really “truckin” today.

    Row up a storm, Roz!

    I am getting some celebratory miles now … http://bit.ly/Sponsor_A_Mile

  • Hey Roz,

    Have you considered, for your next row, installing some sort of seatbelt into your cabin for use in a seated position, so you can avoid such wave-induced propulsion whilst blogging in the future? Since you’re strapped down when you sleep, you might want to look into a strap for sitting. 

    Cheers!

    Connor P

  • Hey Roz, you are totally awesome. I can’t believe you’ve been out there on that ocean ever since we last saw you in Perth, it feels like a lifetime already. Please stay safe on the second half, and here’s wishing for some more favorable conditions to help you reach journey’s end. Everyone here wishes you well….. James

  • Roz, you’re amazing!! Fantastic to know that you are half way. To imagine that you are really rowing every bit of this incredible long journey….wow! I just watched old YouTube films of you out there in the ocean, just to get a feel of what you’re going through. I prefer sand to water… and am awfully proud of your achievements so far. Keeping going, girl. Arita (camels)

  • I yo hon I a on usi ha o al wor . It’s all downhill from here, great job! Thanks for all the inspirations, thoughts and ideas.
    Row the rest of the way Roz.

  • Wow! I “celebrate” when I reach half way on my 10 k treadmill run! You REALLY have something to pop a cork for, to say the least. Pop those Tim Tams and enjoy every bite. And know people around the world are toasting your incredible achievement.

    • I just googled Tim Tam and learned that “Around 35 million packs are sold each year” … why, that is way over 350 million Tim Tams, approaching 400 million Tim Tams! An astonishing lot of Tim Tams. I’ve passed this bit of trivia on to our friends at 350.org for the ironic symbolism of it all ;-D

      Row munchy, Roz!

  • *C*o*N*g*R*a*T*u*L*a*T*i*O*n*S*!*
     
    Way to hang in there! Just think 50 years from now, what children will be saying about you and your inspiring life story! Way to go!
     
    The rest of this is a re-post: re Roz Solidarity Sunset.
     
    Roz Solidarity Sunset is slated for Saturday, August 13 at *your* sunset. Depending on your latitude (from the equator) it should be about 8:00 to 8:30 PM. The exact sunset time for your area can be easily googled and also through local news or weather channels.
    At *your* sunset, raise a toast of a concoction of your choice to Roz and send her fair wishes and good vibes in true bohemian fashion.  —   Additionally, (If you are in the US Pacific time, for instance, this is in the morning about 8:45AM) you can raise a toast to her at *her* sunset. This is how to guess at *her* time of sunset:
    click on http://www.sunrisesunsetmap.com
    click on the date (Saturday, August 13)
    down, below “Time Zone”, click on “Change”
    from the drop down menu. scroll all the way down to GMT + 5 or GMT + 6NOTE: this is only an estimate, her coordinates remain private
    Then:
    On the map to the left, zoom out using the – or minus button until you see entire continents.Click and drag until you point to *your* estimated spot in the Indian Ocean.Click on that spot. It will calculate and show you *her* estimated stats based on your guess. Look for sun and not moon times. It is important that you change all three parameters; date, time zone and map, in order to get the correct … guess 🙂
    PLEASE do NOT post your guess! I am superstitious about such things and afterall, this was my idea and fear that guilt would lay squarely on my shoulders in some kharmic way.
    This is meant to be a “sending of good vibes” from you directly to Roz and thus, void of our eavesdropping.
    Please also note that this is only for the more obsessive/compulsive of us… the rest of us could easily just raise a glass of water at any time, give or take a month, and send good vibes the “old school” way!
     
     
    ~~~
    It is important that you stand up for what’s right.
    Even if you must stand alone.
    Just remember,
    Once you’re done standing alone…
    Put the lid down 🙂
     
    ~~~
     
    This is a free online event on facebook due to premier on September 20, 2011 titled “One Beach.”
     
    http://youtu.be/BegyIWHKVGo
     
    Row Roz Row!

  • Congratulations, Roz! And I know you will be shocked, but this Canadian has never tried a Tim Tam before. Perhaps today will be the day to try one. I know they’ve recently started bringing them into stores around here…

  • Way to go Roz!  Halfway! Yeeeeehhaaaaaaaawwww!  Hope you heard that holler, it was a good one.  Those TimTams look good.  Mind if I have one?  Do they sell them in the US?  Have not seen any.  If you are feeling cooped up you might disaparate to the vacation destination of your choice.  Tahiti perhaps?  With a gin and tonic or one of those drinks with an umbrella in it or a plastic monkey? Plastic swizzle sticks?  I’m sure someone would volunteer to aparate to Sedna and take your place for a week or two.
    Where do you climb in your dreams?  Thailand? Tibet? Yosemite?
    Aren’t big gentle swells great?  Especially in a following sea, it gives one a real lift (ha ha).  And then surfing along down the front of them (as long as one does not broach of course).  This would probably be a bit difficult in Sedna. 
    Did you take the picture of the clouds and rainbow from your boat?  It looks like a Turner painting.
    GO ROZ GO!            Steve

  • Roz, I have been “chatting” with a friend on FB, sharing green jokes. One one-liner led to another one-liner. Long story short, here is fodder for a future Philosophy Friday …

    Heraclitus (535–475 BC): There is no permanent reality except the reality of change; permanence is an illusion of the senses. All things carry with them their opposites; being and not-being are part of every whole—the only possible real state is the transitional one of becoming. Fire is the underlying substance of the universe and all other elements transformations of it. No man has a soul of his own; each shares in a universal soul-fire. 

    The Heraclitus joke wasn’t so funny, but I liked this one: 

    Q: What is green and invisible?
    A: (Holding out an empty hand) This cabbage.

    Rowing’s no joke, Roz!
    (I guess you knew that)

    • I just celebrated your halfway day with some sponsored miles (more birthday years).  In the mean time, another friend on the FB joke chat, just added to the Heraclitus discussion with this, no joke:

      “… when you take an intro to philosophy class Heraclitus fans have to deal with the brutal logic of Zeno, who claimed to prove that change is not at all possible. I teach my kids zeno’s paradox with a number line.”

      Zeno: a Greek philosopher who lived in southern Italy 490–430 BC

      The Zeno paradoxes include subdividing a finite distance or time or geometric shape into half, then half-again, and half-again, and half-again … ad infinitum.

      We could divide the remaining half of your Indian Ocean row in half and create a reason for another celebration at the next “halfway” point, where one-quarter of the distance remains. 

      Then subdivide that remaining distance in half and celebrate when you get to that next “half-way” point with one-eighth of the distance remaining, then halfway again … ad infinitum … 

      Would you ever get to where you are going?

      Row all the way, Roz!

      http://bit.ly/Sponsor_A_Mile

  • Fantastic….every day you inspire…..stay safe Roz and the very best of winds and currents for the second half 🙂 🙂
    David Church

  • Congratulations indeed, Roz, for your perseverence and persistence. I hope you stuck a suitable marker in the water as a permanent sign to other passers-by of your achievement, and that one day soon we shall discover where it is that you are halfway to! Blessings on you and Sedna. John Kay

    • Sorry, can not resist this one…how about a cairn Roz?  You might even row back to the halfway point to build it and dredge up some rocks from the bottom.

  • Congratulations, Roz!  It’s impressive that you’ve rowed this far AND that you’ve saved your celebratory Tim Tams for the actual celebration.  Enjoy the fact that every stroke now gets you closer to land.  Hooray!

  • Glad you’re now past halfway!  Celebrate when you can!  In the meantime Row Roz Row!

    In other news . . . 

    Begin forwarded message:
    From: “CNN Breaking News”
    Date: August 8, 2011 22:15:07 PDT
    Subject: CNN Breaking News

    Diana Nyad, the swimmer who attempted to swim between Cuba and Florida without a shark cage, is out of the water.

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