The Countdown Is On - 12 Days

Ok, we're in the home stretch here leading up to departure on December 20th. I've been incredibly busy winding down my work responsibilities at Greenwich Associates and gearing up for the expedition over the past few weeks, but I promise that I'll be writing more for the next three or four months!

Friday was my last day in the office, and I think my goodbyes made a lot of people realize that despite the fact that my 9AM-5PM life has stayed pretty normal over the last few months the wheels have been very much in motion elsewhere and that this expedition is for real. I love the metaphor of the duck that moves effortlessly around the pond, until you look under water and its feet are paddling like hell. That might have been me recently.

I (finally) finished my RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course, which is one of the many requirements that the Spanish government requires rowers to complete before being cleared to depart from the Canary Islands. This course covers everything from world meteorology, passage planning, and boat equipment to celestial navigation, and is offered online by the Tiller School of Navigation and Seamanship. 

I'll be spending the next two and a half days packing and pulling together all of the little pieces of equipment that I didn't send over with the boat. While none of them are critically important, right now for example I'm sitting in the Greenwich Library downloading audio books to listen to on my iPod while I'm out there. Not the end of the world if I dont have them, but they might make three months of rowing at least a little more interesting. 

Thanks to:

- Peter Dawson at the Tiller School who worked the weekend (both days) grading my Yachtmaster exercises! Much appreciated. 

- Marcus Werner, for donating a three month supply of USANA vitamin supplements for my trip. More information here: www.abundance4all.usana.com 

Paul