tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76875811724474547972024-03-05T09:51:15.141+00:00Row for Hope - 2,950 Miles Across the Atlantic for Cancer ResearchPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-17333383264272980672009-04-15T21:54:00.003+01:002009-04-15T21:57:18.466+01:00Bonnie Hunt ShowJust a quick note to let everyone know that I'm in LA today to tape the Bonnie Hunt show. Check out <a href="http://www.bonniehunt.com/">www.bonniehunt.com</a> for more. Looks like it will air Thursday.<br /><br />PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-21988207253721422842009-04-13T15:53:00.004+01:002009-04-13T15:56:02.768+01:00CBS - The Early Show ClipMy interview on The Early Show aired this morning!<br /><br />Check it out here: <br /><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4938856n">http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4938856n</a><br /><br />PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-64236306214199997122009-04-09T13:45:00.002+01:002009-04-09T13:47:10.617+01:00Early Show Bumps Paul Again!Paul's been bumped AGAIN from the CBS Early Show.<br /><br />This time, though, they're taping something for later broadcast. When we have a firm time when it will be shown, we'll post it here. (Or we'll post the video itself.)<br /><br />Thanks for being patient!Mark Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15646993375816141673noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-59370875912495018562009-04-07T21:03:00.003+01:002009-04-07T21:05:50.421+01:00Paul on CBS Early Show This ThursdayThe CBS Early Show will be welcoming Paul for a live interview on Thursday morning, April 9, probably during the 7-8 A.M. hour.<br /><br />This appearance has been moved several times; check here for the latest information on the exact time of the interview.Mark Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15646993375816141673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-64094285574072944992009-04-05T14:14:00.007+01:002009-04-07T21:12:43.613+01:00Where in the world am I today?<p>That's an easy one -- HOME!</p><br /><p>I flew in on Sunday night and have started trying to put my life back together. Genuine "real-world" things like finding my car keys, replacing my credit cards and wallet that apparently didn't make the trip back from the Canaries, and standing in line at the DMV for a new driver's license. The culture-shock of returning to real life, especially in Fairfield County, CT, has been completely bewildering, and not as much of a relief as I expected.</p><br /><p>I've realized that on the boat I was living literally on the bare essentials -- food, water, and shelter from the elements were all I had and all I needed. Luxuries were limited to an iPod, a sat phone, and computer - all of which helped to keep my mind occupied, but were useless bricks of metal and plastic when it came to keeping me alive.</p><br /><p>For the last two days I've been constantly surprised and awed by the excesses of the life that I was so accustomed to only a few months ago. I'm able to provide for the bare essentials that are absolutely critical to life at sea with zero effort or real cost - it's a feeling of incredibly undeserved ease, and one that right now I'm extremely uncomfortable with.</p><br /><p>For example, I'm writing from a Starbucks in Greenwich, CT, and out the window I can see half a million dollars worth of cars....Mercedes Benzes, Land Rovers, and countless SUVs. The guy sitting at the table across from me is wearing a suit and tie and furiously typing on his Blackberry. On the Atlantic, my only "currency" was in the form of Ramen Noodles and British Army biscuits that occasionally turned up as I ate my way through food rations and that I would stash away until "cashing them in" when I needed a pick-me-up. With this in mind, you can probably imagine how strange it feels to be back in a world with priorities very different from those that had become my own during my 87 days on the ocean.</p><br /><p>I suppose that this feeling will go away soon, but for now I'm wondering "where in the world am I?"</p><br /><p>I really miss Liv.</p><br /><div><br /></div><div>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br /><br />A Challenge to the Rowing Community<br /><br />Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!<br /><br />Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to www.rowforhope.com from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.<br /><br />So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to www.rowforhope.com.<br /><br />Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.<br /><br />Paul </div>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-71162261278955030532009-04-04T14:20:00.002+01:002009-04-07T21:15:15.465+01:00Sad to see her go...<p>Well, on Friday afternoon I watched a truck carry Liv away to the container port at St. John's, Antigua on the other side of the island. After a whirlwind of a morning arranging logistics, packing materials, carpentry help, and countless trips by water taxi across English Harbour between Nelson's Dockyard and Antigua Slipway, we had her loaded, braced, and ready to go by 2PM or so.</p><br /><p>As the truck was winding its way up the hill one of the dockyard workers caught me apparently watching her disappear into the trees. I've become incredibly attached to her over the last year and particularly over the last few months -- no surprise given that she literally kept me alive for 88 days on one of the most unforgiving environments on earth. She'll be shipped back to New York on a container ship leaving Antigua next Friday and will arrive in New York twenty-one days later. She's due for a thorough cleaning but other than the watermaker needing servicing, she's in fantastic shape thanks in large part to her builder Aquidneck Custom (Bristol, RI).</p><br /><p>I had an incredible welcome here in Antigua but can't wait to see everyone back home too, and am looking forward to my first night's sleep in my own bed - something I dreamed about a lot while on the ocean.</p><br /><p>I'll keep you all updated on the event schedule that is coming together now. There are events in the works in both CT and upstate NY, and I'll be accepting invitations for other appearances as well. If you're interested in having me meet with your school, club, church, or other organization, please send an email to my sister Joy, at joy@rowforhope.com. I'm based in Stamford, CT, but am willing to travel as my schedule allows.</p><br /><br />* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br /><br />A Challenge to the Rowing Community<br /><br />Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!<br /><br />Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to www.rowforhope.com from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.<br /><br />So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to www.rowforhope.com.<br /><br />Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.<br /><br />PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-13639172955524498032009-04-03T11:43:00.004+01:002009-04-03T12:16:47.841+01:00LAND, and everything that comes with it....<p>Wow! Well, it's been an eventful first week on dry land, and I think I'm finally getting used to not living in a 19-foot boat. After being alone for 88 days, one of the strangest adjustments has been getting used to the speed at which I need to be processing things mentally to keep a conversation going. It may sound strange, but on the boat I had all the time in the world to formulate my thoughts in great detail and in a very organized, but not exactly lightning-fast, way. After arriving, I couldn't believe how quickly conversations on land would switch from one topic to another, leaving me struggling to keep my brain moving fast enough to keep up. It was an really weird experience, but I'm happy to report that I'm pretty much back to normal now. Hopefully the people on the other side of my conversations agree!</p> <br /><p>The days this week have been spent, among other things, walking around English and Falmouth Harbours getting my land legs back. I've been surprised at how sore my legs have been all week -- who would have thought that getting back to land would take a bigger toll on my body than the first couple days of all-day rowing? I feel like I just ran 10 miles after not having run in a while - my legs are stiff and creaky and getting moving is a struggle. Luckily, all of the physical and mental adjustments are well worth making in exchange for the countless joys and comforts of being on LAND.</p><br /><p>I'm spending today trying to get the boat packed up and in a shipping container ready to head back to the States. All of the pieces are coming together quickly, and I'm hopeful that this can be done today so I can try to catch a flight back home over the weekend. I feel bad that I'm so much looking forward to leaving such a tropical paradise, but I have many more friends back home that I'm looking forward to seeing again. I hope I can keep up with all of the welcoming festivities that await me in Connecticut and Binghamton!</p><br /><p>One other thing to note -- over the next several months I'll be accepting invitations to speak to groups of all kinds about my trip and Row for Hope. If you're interested in having me meet with your school, club, church, or other organization, please send an email to my sister Joy, at joy@rowforhope.com. I'm based in Stamford, CT, but am more than willing to travel as my schedule allows.</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *</p><br /><p>A Challenge to the Rowing Community</p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to www.rowforhope.com from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to www.rowforhope.com.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.</p><br /><p>Paul</p>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-24900094435462602412009-04-02T00:17:00.008+01:002009-04-02T11:52:29.352+01:00Open Water<p>Another busy day, with TV interviews in the morning, then a luncheon with government officials, work on sorting out details for shipping the boat back home, and finally in the afternoon my first visit to one of Antigua's many beaches. My goal is to get Liv loaded into a container and ready to be shipped back to the States in time to get home for the weekend, but it'll take a lot of work to get everything sorted out in time. Otherwise I'll be here though early to mid next week -- not the worst thing in the world by any means, but I also haven't been home in almost four months, so I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.</p><br /><p>Anyway, as promised, below are some pictures taken by my dad from the boat that carried me in for the last little bit on Sunday. Though almost everyone on the boat was turning green with seasickness (I know the feeling!), they got some pictures of what I looked like rowing on the open ocean. In case you're wondering, the sea state last Sunday was on the smaller side and I expect that I would have made slightly better than average progress that day -- my point being that it often got much worse than what you see! </p><br /><p>Here goes:</p><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319867554815458210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFpJtB9JLH0sDBTmWvC0vzDjypdpJbPVNrCrnWR6W0BnPjJsXfI-JxLDAGBfpHol0bONrY8AicyvcmuMXkRFgNiZkONSwCQywxRm3aSUBUcbnrGktd7VZTLsliJFPBkM6X3Rz9eIFlTks/s400/IMG_0142.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgDqKM07STgjM8U3q7GztiTgGxrihMyKGcrw4NIDKnCJRq5Ope02s_RIXE0r57zIwVmTP81EG12Fas3kbpEGIHYJGhyUIAr-OasTfV23I9lSYaR0dxUmRtzADyjeGkvKb5cs3UdteZ2rs/s1600-h/IMG_0152.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319868675851025698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgDqKM07STgjM8U3q7GztiTgGxrihMyKGcrw4NIDKnCJRq5Ope02s_RIXE0r57zIwVmTP81EG12Fas3kbpEGIHYJGhyUIAr-OasTfV23I9lSYaR0dxUmRtzADyjeGkvKb5cs3UdteZ2rs/s400/IMG_0152.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319870116006206258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXFb10wp_j3A82KWq4ab3tph4vZMCcFAi-_oYMnmFg-fdBJuumBKPI80e_gd0S9vgvTkVoEEFGP1Q2VpIjF613EVqJnitcuoj6TIBVWF-xwUr1LhSpA_x_8Gb-5xQ98lRbGB33Y4udc56/s400/IMG_4057.JPG" border="0" /><div></div></div></div>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-45874798767301864912009-04-01T04:04:00.007+01:002009-04-01T14:06:05.947+01:00Every Dream Coming True at Once<p>WOW. WOW. WOW!!!</p><br /><p>Paul here, and very much on dry land as promised!</p><br /><p>There's no way to accurately describe the feeling of stepping out of Liv on Sunday afternoon and having all of the things I'd been dreaming about for the last 88 days handed to me in an instant. It will be impossible to do justice to the experience, but I'll try my best over the next several days, and we'll have lots of pictures and video of the arrival festivities up here for you. I've been swamped with press interviews and welcome activities, and I'm just starting to feel more comfortable on land and getting my schedule sorted out. For a quick glimpse of my schedule, today started with radio interviews with stations in Detroit and Miami/West Palm beach between 8 A.M. and 8:30. Then a break before Fox News (TV) at 11:30 and CNN at 12:30. Incredible! Such great exposure for Row for Hope and the cause!</p><br /><p>The welcome I've received here in Antigua has been completely overwhelming, beginning the moment I reached the mouth of English Harbour. After not having seen another human for 87 days, I found myself in the middle of a swarm of dingys loaded with photographers and well-wishers. I could hear the cheers of a crowd on the point marking the entrance to the harbor. The Search and Rescue boat had come out and was spraying a fire-hose rainbow to welcome me to Antigua. A restaurant on the water just inside the harbor off of my starboard side was lined with at least 50 people, all standing and applauding as I rowed by, with "We Are the Champions" blasting in the background. The occupants of the dozens of boats anchored in the harbor were on deck and congratulating me as I rowed by. Then I looked over my right shoulder and saw the crowd at the dock. It was HUGE! I had envisioned being greeted by my friends and family as I got off the boat, but it looked like the whole island had turned out to welcome me. I remember thinking "I didn't think there were this many people on earth!", and yet all were there to see me set foot on dry land.</p><br /><p>It's getting late and I have an early interview tomorrow also, so I'll have to write about what it was like to take my first very wobbly steps and how I've spent the last couple of days -- think juicy hamburgers, pizza, steak, ice cream (even for breakfast), wonderful friends and family, constant congratulations from strangers as I walk around town, and incredible hospitality from the Antiguan people.</p><br /><p>Thanks so much for all of your support -- sounds like we have a lot of celebrating to do together when I get back to the States, and don't forget that the fundraising push continues as we continue to promote the Row for Hope cause!</p><br /><p>Loving LAND!</p><br /><p>Paul</p><br /><p>P.S. We're working on getting some video up so stay tuned. I was recording a shot of myself rowing into the harbor from the boat. Should be a really cool perspective, and I'll get it up on YouTube as soon as I can. There's also a good video from land and the mob scene when I stepped off of the boat.</p> <br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *</p><br /><p>A Challenge to the Rowing Community</p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to www.rowforhope.com from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to www.rowforhope.com.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.</p>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-61003575883846911902009-03-31T07:24:00.006+01:002009-04-05T16:15:20.253+01:001st full day on landHi, this is Paul's sister, Joy, filling in for Paul as he gets his "land legs" back. He had an absolutely incredible arrival in Antigua yesterday afternoon, and was welcomed by what seemed like the whole island. We'll supply video and pictures of his arrival as soon as possible, but for now, I'll give a quick description:<br /><br /><p>We didn't expect him in until early evening on Sunday, so imagine my surprise at around 12:30 to discover that he was closer than we thought, and closing in fast on English Harbor. Luckily the champagne was already on ice, and although the welcoming committee had been relaxing by the pool, we were immediately running for the harbor. We were able to find a spot on the cliffs at the mouth of the harbor, where we could catch the first glimpse of him. We alternated between cheers and tears at the sight of his tiny yellow speck coming around the corner. The local TV cameras were already on hand to capture every tear, which by that time no one minded.</p><br /><br /><p>He looked absolutely overwhelmed as he navigated to the dock, amid cheers from strangers and horns from surrounding yachts. In a moment I will never forget, I was able to make it to the dock in time to grab his hand and guide Liv to the wall, the way I'd done countless times before. Paul will describe the scene in more detail as soon as he's able, but I'll tell you there was an endless procession of hugs, thank-you's, and teary eyes as we were finally able to get our arms around him. He spent the first minute or two on land just surveying the crowd and saying "wow". He eventually composed himself enough to express his gratitude for everyone involved in making Row for Hope a success, and to thank our mom for giving him the fighting spirit to cross an ocean alone. I know how proud she would be of her son, and how much he and I wish she could have been there.</p><br /><br /><p>I've gotten endless questions about how he looks and how he's handled the physical stresses of 88 days at sea. He's definitely lost weight, and seems to be trying to make it back by growing an excess of beard and curly locks. He looks a bit like a castaway, and is still a little unsteady on his feet, but is otherwise better than expected. He went straight for Nadine's brownies, followed by an enormous burger and a much-anticipated gin and tonic. He woke up at the crack of dawn this morning out of habit, and spent most of the day enjoying the company of his friends and family, who spent quite a bit of time poking him in the arm to be sure he's really here!</p><br /><br /><p>Many more pictures, video, and media appearances are to follow, but for now, here's a couple of shots of Paul's first official reunion with family and friends, at a place appropriately called "Life":</p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319243600474823410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuHUdnr7wDXGxLoDlE6mhxCamx6fjkVcghBr449j2AEUhSBT9ROPbW1rmZ6myvmDJJdptXrlpD1aO9Ocmd8fXGWZ_-stmUoVw2wPZVlaJ33T_ysqKdx4ZIXc_mAP_RWg80XicC_qDhmIE/s400/Paul.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321225997348787154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rUq773yA7mVEM2qj2TxLfw4CftN3_HBi8c74xO48RkHx9fEDnaOV0cBUBbrTVyIjXlKj8Y0uJ1nzq1cIIKDFxMoEHOutXr1MEjHQp0Z-kXc_84bWd4dR_IT1JTJGFooBIiKUe6b9q-Nu/s400/RfHgroup3_29.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p>Joy</p>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-2540480210560324052009-03-30T12:33:00.015+01:002009-03-30T16:10:37.681+01:00CNN Coverage of Row for HopePaul will try to do his first blog entry from land some time today.<br /><br />In the meantime, here's a link to the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/03/29/impact.row.atlantic/index.html?iref=newssearch">story on CNN.com </a>(one of CNN's Top 10 Stories at the moment). And here's the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/03/30/whitfield.row.hope.cnn">clip</a> of yesterday's arrival interview.<br /><br />CNN <em>was</em> planning another live interview (this one with live video as well), but it's been preempted by an event from the White House. Maybe later this week . . . .<br /><br />Thanks again for all your support for Paul and Row for Hope!<br /><br /><em>The Row for Hope Support Team</em>Mark Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15646993375816141673noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-86884831009855541482009-03-29T20:52:00.002+01:002009-03-29T20:54:05.265+01:00Day 88: HE DID IT!!!PAUL HAS LANDED SAFELY IN ANTIGUA!!! THE ROW HAS BEEN COMPLETED!!!<br /><br />Hear Paul live on CNN at 4:45 P.M. today (Sunday).Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-90733351489270714022009-03-29T17:37:00.004+01:002009-03-29T17:47:31.090+01:00Day 88: They've got him!Joy again, not much time to write, as Paul is ONE HOUR from the harbor. After 3 days of constant change in his situation and the water conditions, Paul made a difficult decision last night to accept a tow into English Harbour. He's done what he set out to do, has crossed the ocean and past several points of land that theoretically could have been his destination, and is ready to come home.<br /><br />This morning at 6:30 my parents, Bill and Karen Tomic (KRock and Wild Bill of blog fame), Chris McNickle of the Row for Hope board, and Kyle and Barb from our boat-builders, Aquidneck Custom, chartered a catamaran to go out and bring Paul in. As I write this, they're all feeling quite seasick, but they have Paul, who is still in his boat, and getting ready to be cut loose at the mouth of the harbour. From there he'll row the last leg into the dock, and we'll all dissolve into puddles of tears. At least that's the plan.<br /><br />Will try to update again soon, and will post pictures of Paul on land!Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-1130651443004397522009-03-28T16:22:00.005+00:002009-03-28T18:18:48.331+00:00Day 87: Spotted land!Hi all! It's Joy this time, taking over the blog again so that Paul can focus on the remaining miles between himself and English Harbour; and those miles are getting fewer and fewer! As I write this he's only 49 miles away -- mind blowing, after thinking of him as so far off for so long. As he came out of his cabin this morning he got his first glimpse of land, and immediately thought "I'm gonna hit it!". He wasn't going to hit it of course, as it was 20 miles away, but it's quite a shock to see anything but waves on the horizon.<br /><br />As he reported yesterday, he's crossed the longitude of Barbados, which is one official measure of a completed ocean row. Now all he has to do is bring it in, but that's harder than it sounds. Our real celebration will be when he turns into the harbor, and takes his first steps on land. In order to do that, he's got to navigate a somewhat complex system of winds and currents, avoiding the other islands, and crossing the longitude of English Harbour. We've been riding a rollercoaster over the last 48 hours, alternating between planning for a tow to bring him in before he gets blown South into another island, and thinking he'll be able to do it all under his own power. Things change every few hours, but at the moment we're expecting him to make it on his own, and to arrive as early as tomorrow (Sunday) morning.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the welcoming committee has all arrived safely in Antigua, and numbers a whopping 19 of Paul's friends and family, all anxiously waiting to see Paul's little yellow speck appear on the horizon. They've been whiling away the hours on the beach, which is incredibly beautiful, and testing out the rum punch at the local pubs. My father, on the other hand, is manning the controls, so to speak, monitoring Paul's position and fielding his phone calls. He and Nadine, and today me, are holed up in a hotel room trying to stay on top of to-do lists and information requests from media (we still haven't heard from Oprah, but I'm sure it's because my phone doesn't work down here).<br /><br />Anyway, Paul plans to row through the night tonight, and we'll likely update the blog again before he lands. Stay tuned -- things are about to get very emotional!<br /><br />Oh, and while I sit and write, here's what I'm missing out on: <div><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318304330889628514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDyYc0wc5zj44uBf9WLFAHFncj06TAgRBOZ7WcX-0ZGolPEN2HKydcXJmjI02AV44aFlHW1rUstHHmjY85dEp9eNBjjt9TTDT_AmqAe6hLlqbTxrogxQ_2evvszNWKlWXgw9cGaPgjeZY/s400/Pigeon+Beach+Antigua.jpg" border="0" /> <div></div>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-66819550090308551002009-03-27T12:09:00.002+00:002009-03-27T18:47:28.022+00:00Day 86<p>Quick update from the Atlantic -- my last until I hit dry land!</p><br /><p>Lots has happened since I wrote last, but spirits are much improved. Imagine my surprise to learn two nights ago that the recognized "Atlantic Ocean Rowing Crossing Line" line was only 11 miles away at 59º37W, which I crossed early the next morning. This is the line of longitude that Bridgetown, Barbados, lies on and thus is used to make all ocean rows comparable. So, I've done it! All I have left to do now is taker 'er home safely to Antigua!</p><br /><p>Easier said than done with these NW winds, but with my Dad and other family and friends on the ground in Antigua and working with the Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue people (who are being extremely helpful), I am being very well watched as I make my way to land. It's up in the air as to whether this weather will allow me to row into Antigua under my own power, but once I've officially crossed and passed by some land mass that I could have landed on, I'm not going to be picky about how I get in. Right now I'm 30 nautical miles from the eastern-most point of Guadeloupe, so that will take care of itself as I fight my way north toward Antigua.</p><br /><p>So, all is good again out here and I'm optimistic that I'll get in to English Harbour one way or another by Sunday evening. I will write more on this subject later, but I owe lots of thanks to my expedition support team for getting me this far -- my Dad (and <em>his</em> support team, Nadine), sister Joy, and friend Liz Tomic have been invaluable through all phases of the expedition, and without their constant and unflinching support I surely would not have made it this far.</p><br /><p>With that, I'll turn the updates over the the team until I'm able to write again from Antigua! I can't thank you all enough for the countless notes of encouragement and advice, as well as donations, over the last 86 days and beyond.</p><br /><p>Next time from LAND!</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br>A <b>Challenge to the Rowing Community</b></p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a> from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Thanks, Bob!</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-81144670854557545102009-03-26T23:33:00.014+00:002009-03-27T11:50:10.295+00:00Day 85: Guest Post (Updated)<p>Just posted the following "tweet" for those following Paul on Twitter: </p><br /><p><em>"Day 86 has begun. Paul is up, rowing, and pointed STRAIGHT for English Harbour. Unimaginable just a day ago! Only 101.6 miles to Antigua!"</em> Hurrah!!!</p><br /><p>(To get brief, frequent updates via Twitter, visit the panel to the right.)</p><br /><p>One of the commenters asked, "Can you explain why it would not be good if Paul were to land in Guadeloupe or another island?"</p><br /><p>Several reasons:<br>+ The windward coasts of most of the islands of Guadeloupe provide few if any safe places to land an ocean rowboat. Paul's ocean rowing mentor, Simon Chalk, warned us that if Paul were to come within 30 miles of the eastern coast of Guadeloupe a recovery boat should already be on the way to catch him.<br>+ The plan is to ship Liv back to the states from Antigua. Landing elsewhere would create a host of logistical problems.<br>+ A dozen or so of Paul's friends and family have come to Antigua to see him land and give him a big welcome, and Paul is very anxious to "give them their money's worth." The group would either miss his landing or have to find a way to island-hop on short notice.<br><br /><p>Thanks for asking!</p><br />_____________________________________________<br><br /><p>It's Paul's dad again; Paul's sat phone minutes are almost depleted (and so is he), so he's asked me to pinch-hit tonight. We're working to reload the phone, so expect to hear from The Man himself tomorrow.</p><br /><p>It's been quite a day, both here in Antigua and out in Liv. For the first half of the day, it appeared that Paul was locked in a combination of winds and currents that would take him away from Antigua and toward the French islands of Guadeloupe (straight into the tiny island of Marie-Galante, to be exact). Here on land, we met with Jonathan Cornelius, of Antigua Barbuda Search and Rescue (ABSAR), to look at possible recovery scenarios. Jonathan was <em>wonderful</em>, providing the perfect mixture of calm presence, knowledge of local waters, and up-to-the-minute computerized wind/current data.</p><br /><p>When we met with Jonathan at 10 A.M. local time (and EDT), Paul was still being pushed inexorably S by the winds, so we discussed what measures to take if he had to land in the vicinity of Guadeloupe. But Jonathan predicted that Liv would soon hit a healthy north-tending current, and that Paul would be able to use that current to overcome the winds from the NE and begin making a turn to the NW (and toward Antigua). And he was right! </p><br /><p>Beginning at 2 PM (6 PM GMT), Paul began to turn toward the WNW, gaining N ever so slightly. Five hours later, he had made up 3 miles to the N. It doesn't sound like much, but after losing so much mileage to the S, it was wonderful!</p><br /><p>As you can imagine, this turn (of events) has transformed the mood here in Antigua and on board Liv. Paul is now on sea anchor for the night, and the current is still taking him NW. A little free mileage (in the right direction) while he sleeps will be very welcome!</p><br /><p>As of 8 PM local time, here are the stats: Paul has gone 47.4 statute miles in the last 24 hours; in the process, he's reduced the distance to English Harbour by 43.1 miles. Liv is now 107 statute miles from English Harbour (32.2 miles S and 102.2 miles E of his destination). We are cautiously ecstatic!!!</p><br /><p>On behalf of Paul, thanks for all of your comments, prayers and support, especially during these last several days. It's meant the world to him (and us)!</p><br /><p>Mark</p>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-68818722813154618002009-03-25T18:52:00.001+00:002009-03-26T00:39:30.854+00:00Day 84<p>Yet another very challenging day with little progress, and what progress was made going in the wrong direction. The "no wind" problem is gone, and now I have wind from the north blowing me south, which at this point can be considered away from Antigua. This is forecast to continue through Friday before becoming light again but more easterly on Saturday. That will make six straight days of bad weather for someone who is trying to row to Antigua (130 nautical miles away).</p><br /><p>Other news:<br>- Arrival on Friday and Saturday is pretty much out of the question, and I've spent the day agonizing over whether I'll make it to land in time to see the friends who will have come so far to meet me. Absolutely torturous to think that I could miss them, having come this far and being so close.<br>- The fresh water situation is worse than I originally thought, as I found that three of the bottles that were in "deep storage" had cracked and were contaminated with salt water.<br>- I've pulled the last of my freeze-dried food from the forward compartment. I have five days worth of good stuff before I'll be forced to eat only "rice and chicken" for every meal. Will eat my last breakfast tomorrow before I have to get creative with this meal.</p><br /><p>Given the timing of these winds from the north I'm very worried that I won't be able to make landfall in Antigua at all, and instead will have to land somewhere like Guadeloupe (if that's even possible). Today I made 20 nm to the west and gave up 11 to the south. If this pattern persists, by the time things straighten out around Saturday I'll be more than 45 miles south and 90 miles east of Antigua, with the island of Guadeloupe between me and it -- probably too much of a deficit to make up, even with the help of a current from the south I hear will kick in at some point.</p><br /><p>Hoping for some good news to report one of these days...sorry to sound so glum, but that's been the mood out here for a while...</p><br /><p>Paul</p>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-80736101460778839782009-03-24T19:42:00.001+00:002009-03-25T01:24:05.536+00:00Day 83<p>Last night I lost four miles of progress toward Antigua because of a counter-current I got stuck in that pushed me to the south-west. I thought that I had worked my way out of it, but am now (midnight GMT) drifting north-east despite a light breeze from the north, so there's clearly still some weird stuff going on current-wise. With this in mind, I think the chances of making much western progress tonight are slim. Maybe I should just hope to avoid going backwards too much.</p><br /><p>Had a disastrous day on the oars today in my third straight day of rowing on a flat ocean without a breath of wind or shade from the clouds. I made only 20 nautical miles, a dismal performance, despite putting forth maximum effort to keep the boat moving. Rowing on the ocean (or anywhere) for 13+ hours a day without a breath of wind is absolutely punishing, and despite the added discomfort, progress comes at about half the rate of on a good day, which is killing me mentally. On top of that, with water in short supply it is crucial that I make good use of every day spent rowing -- and here I am with three straight days of slow-motion progress in the hot sun, and another forecast for tomorrow.</p><br /><p>I've declared the main watermaker down for the rest of my trip. What's maddening is that it will be an easy fix on land with a replacement fifty-cent part, but for now I'm down to my reserve fresh water which is 20 liters or so. I estimate that I use about 6 liters on a normal day, so it seems likely that I'll run out, especially given the terrible progress of the last 48 hours. With that in mind I've started using the backup manual watermaker, with which I can make 1.5L in 20 minutes. I want to avoid being in a position where I'm forced to pump, which would take me off the oars, so I've been doing it for a little while during my afternoon break and before bed. All adds to the fatigue I'm feeling after 83 days at sea.</p><br /><p>Suffice it to say that spirits aboard Liv have been higher.</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br>A <b>Challenge to the Rowing Community</b></p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a> from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Thanks, Bob!</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-7159741325740445482009-03-23T19:29:00.001+00:002009-03-24T02:01:59.352+00:00Day 82<p>Slow and brutally hot day out here today (similar to yesterday), with next to no wind or waves to help me along, and my rowing taking place across a vast expanse of slowly undulating blue sea. There were clouds all around on the horizon today, but not enough wind to carry any to me, so I baked all day in the sun.</p><br /><p>Other facts as follows:<br>- Today's progress was good (30 nautical miles), but very tough due to the heat/sun and a counter-current that is now pushing me back to the east, away from Antigua. Prospects for good mileage tonight are therefore slim.<br>- I expect this weather to continue through Wednesday, after which the wind will be back to at least 15 kt for what appears to be the duration of my row. It will be pushing me south fairly quickly at first, so I'm glad to be 5 miles north of English Harbor after all. Hopefully I can make my way back north in time.<br>- The main watermaker is down again, due to a problem with the same connection as before. I don't want to spend the time to fix it, given how close I am (164 nautical miles as I write this), and the wrench I need has rusted into an unusable lump of metal. It looks like my backup fresh water supply will be enough to get me to Antigua, but it will be close and water will be rationed for the duration, which will be unpleasant given the hot, sunny, windless days like today that are forecast.</p><br /><p>All of this boils down to one thing really -- this row, and the many difficulties associated with it, is still far from over.</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br>A <b>Challenge to the Rowing Community</b></p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a> from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Thanks, Bob!</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-56909561720046872352009-03-23T12:35:00.003+00:002009-03-23T12:39:45.241+00:00CNN Report on Row for Hope<script src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=dom&vid=/video/us/2009/03/23/whitfield.row.for.hope.cnn" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript> Embedded video from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video">CNN Video</a></noscript><br /><br />Send this link to your friends:<br /><br />http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/03/23/whitfield.row.for.hope.cnn<br /><br>Paul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-102467775220749472009-03-22T20:06:00.008+00:002009-03-22T23:26:51.820+00:00Day 81: Guest Post<p>Hi, it's Paul's dad, Mark Ridley, filling in for Paul this evening. Paul lost time today doing an interview on CNN (we'll post a link once they put it on their Web site), among other things, so he's putting in some extra time on the oars tonight. I'm happy to give him a break by posting a blog entry for him.</p><br /><p>Earlier today Paul hopped into the water once again and scraped the barnacles off Liv's hull (for what we hope will be the last time). It's kind of a scary operation, but it always seems to have a worthwhile impact on his speed. Fortunately for his on-shore team, Paul never tells us in advance that he's going to get out and scrape; we only find out about it when he's safely back in the boat. (It saves on blood-pressure medication!)</p><br /><p>Paul also did some housecleaning today. He began the row with the forward cabin crammed with food (freeze-dried entrees, candy, Cliff bars, etc.) and by now he's eaten his way through almost all of it. So he took time today to rearrange ballast and rebalance the boat, for better handling.</p><br /><p>Paul's finally allowing himself to think about the reality of landing in Antigua; up to this point, he's tried to keep his focus almost entirely on the challenges of each individual day. It's been fascinating to see him manage the mental game of this row - the guidance and mentoring he received from other rowers and his training team really seem to have paid off. Thanks, everyone!</p><br /><p>Beyond the celebrating in Antigua, Paul is planning on recuperating a bit back in Connecticut and looking forward to returning to his job at Greenwich Associates. But he's also thinking about the future for Row for Hope. The fund-raising mission won't end when the rowing ends; he's already thinking about speaking engagements and other ways to keep the cause in the public eye. He's a man on a mission!</p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1AykNzTu_US5MPJy7s1MPD1QNTLPGaQ807866IyeGOEouQMlTpQtMQjb-OcR9_4EcM-Hw2pQyzF0bqz_kPVHAL1ccrE-zu8LSO1xWlkBSwPEcCVo1nyIPgNro8yZOLYGls1YAesddt-p/s1600-h/FamilyPortrait.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1AykNzTu_US5MPJy7s1MPD1QNTLPGaQ807866IyeGOEouQMlTpQtMQjb-OcR9_4EcM-Hw2pQyzF0bqz_kPVHAL1ccrE-zu8LSO1xWlkBSwPEcCVo1nyIPgNro8yZOLYGls1YAesddt-p/s320/FamilyPortrait.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316154456114022338" /></a><br /><p>Let me just add a word as Paul's father: Paul's family (which includes his sister, Joy, and his step-mom, Nadine) has really been sustained by the knowledge that so many people have been rooting for Paul and keeping him in their prayers. Thank you so much for your encouragement and your care for him. No matter how far from shore Paul has been, he's never been alone. Thank you!</p><br /><p>Mark</p><br /><p>*****************************************</p><br /><p>Thanks to all who have supported this expedition and important research at Yale Cancer Center with a donation to Row for Hope. If you haven't donated, or if you would consider donating again, it would be much appreciated. To donate online use the link in the upper right-hand corner of this page or visit <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-50590035713900371512009-03-21T19:21:00.001+00:002009-03-22T00:26:56.029+00:00Day 80<p>Day 80...wow, I really have been out here a long time!</p><br /><p>Oh well, the number of days I've spent out here isn't seeming as important at this point. Instead, I'm focused on the number of miles to go, which have been ticking down quickly (even by my standards) recently. Yesterday was my best day yet in terms of mileage, and today during the day I did another 39nautical miles, two better than I did yesterday. We'll see what the night brings, but this will go down as a good day either way.</p><br /><p>A couple more signs of approaching land today - I saw four frigate birds (the huge black ones) around the boat at the same time this morning, which was pretty cool. There is one around more often than not recently, and they're entertaining to watch. Today I saw one catch a flying fish and eat it whole while in flight. Impressive!</p><br /><p>I'm also happy to report that the forecast for the next week looks pretty good for my final approach and landing in Antigua. I had been heading a little North in preparation for some winds coming late next week that I thought would blow me south on Wed/Thurs, but these have lessened so it's time to head back south again.</p><br /><p>I don't want to jinx myself, but so far things are still looking good for an arrival sometime next weekend. Fingers crossed!</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br>A <b>Challenge to the Rowing Community</b></p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a> from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Thanks, Bob!</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-73407533737488851272009-03-20T18:59:00.002+00:002009-03-21T00:17:51.044+00:00Day 79<p>Long but very productive day on the oars today, and I made 37 nautical miles or so before turning in for the night. I did get some predawn rowing in that helped, but this doesn't explain the good boat speed I had all day. Whatever the cause, things seemed to all be working well with the wind/waves to help me along toward Antigua -- all I can guess is that the last several days of light but consistent winds have helped the seas to organize better than usual, which made for cleaner and faster rowing.</p><br /><p>Today's sign of land was that I saw no less than seven planes today -- SEVEN! Two during the day and another five after dark, all one right after another and all seemingly headed toward the NE which I guess is toward Europe? I've decided that there are extra flights today since it's Friday and people are traveling around the weekends. The alternative explanation is that the Caribbean is going out of style and people are evacuating, which would be terrible timing for me.</p><br /><p>Either way, I can't wait for Antigua -- 282 nautical miles to go!</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br>A <b>Challenge to the Rowing Community</b></p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a> from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Thanks, Bob!</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-87576486598558079572009-03-19T19:57:00.003+00:002009-03-20T01:27:22.514+00:00Day 78<p>Another pleasant day out here today, and I got in 13+ hours on the oars, which I needed to make good mileage in a light wind of 10 kt. My reward was that I crossed 56W just before turning in for the night, and I now have less than seven degrees to go.</p><br /><p>Another sign that I'm getting closer to land today - a bug on deck. It was small, no bigger than a dime with legs and all, and resembled a water-spider, or whatever you call those bugs that float around on top of the water. On deck this bug was not terribly mobile, but did hop around a little. Given that I haven't seen a bug since I left the Canaries, I'm pretty sure that if this bug were a stow-away I would have found it long ago, so I'm declaring it a sign of land.</p><br /><p>A question from Fred W. about my arrival was timely. The ideal situation is that I'll be able to row into English Harbour without help. This is not at all uncommon for ocean rowboats, so I'm assuming that the wave action on the approach is usually OK. With that said, the forecast for next week calls for wind from various directions from the North-east, which may leave me battling to stay on course and far enough north when I finally make it to Antigua.</p><br /><p>I think that the technical finish line is the line of longitude at the eastern-most point on the island, but hopefully someone will check this out before I get there. I'm hoping that a boat will come out (maybe carrying some of my family/friends?) to lead me in and offer a tow if necessary, but I don't know the details at this point. Rowing all the way to land is the goal, but given how far I've come and the number of people that will be waiting for me in English Harbour I'm not planning to go nuts and make landfall at some random place or risk getting blown past the island just so my row will technically be "land-to-land."</p><br /><p>Finally, I'm incredibly happy to hear that so many people have booked tickets for Antigua! I wish I could write all of you back individually, but it's been great motivation to hear that I'll have more than a dozen people there to help me celebrate in English Harbour. I can't wait to see you all soon!</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br>A <b>Challenge to the Rowing Community</b></p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a> from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Thanks, Bob!</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7687581172447454797.post-20458115459068100552009-03-18T19:30:00.003+00:002009-03-19T00:50:41.215+00:00Day 77<p>It's been a very pleasant day out here today with lot of sun and a nice breeze of 10-15 kt from the east. I almost jumped out of the boat due to my excitement this afternoon when I both had a conversation with a passing French container ship bound for Martinique named Marfret (wild guess, but I bet this name is French) and saw a plane on the horizon at the same time. AND I had a frigate bird around that had been with me for almost two hours. Huuuuuge!</p><br /><p>This time the captain was friendly and asked if I needed anything, which of course I replied that I didn't. What else could one want than freeze dried food and gallons of warm Gatorade for three months? I resisted the urge to ask for a tow -- he was doing 18 knots, which I figured would get me to Antigua in less than 24 hours...anyway...he also reiterated that Liv and I are very difficult to see, even after I've made contact on the VHF and described my position.</p><br /><p>I have some experience now with the effectiveness of AIS that may be helpful to future ocean rowers. I'll write this up on in more detail from land, but in short the message is that you often won't be alerted of a ship approaching until it's already too close for comfort. So, if you hear the alarm and haven't spotted a ship, act fast! I saw today's ship a long way off but he didn't set off my AIS alarm until he was 11 minutes from his closest point of approach. According to the captain of Marfet, I didn't show up on his AIS screen until 5 minutes before his CPA, which could have been dicey had he not already adjusted his course.</p><br /><p>My blogs may start getting shorter from here on in, but I'll be sure that you're all kept up to date in these last few days. If I miss a couple days down the stretch, don't worry -- I'll be blogging away about how great land is as soon as I get there, and will continue to send updates as I adjust to life back home and begin to reflect on this experience.</p><br /><p>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br>A <b>Challenge to the Rowing Community</b></p><br /><p>Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!</p><br /><p>Taking inspiration from Paul Ridley's incredible solo row across the Atlantic, Bob Glendening has generously offered to match all new donations to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a> from members of the rowing community. His generosity also stems from his family's devotion to rowing and its personal experience with cancer. The Glendening Boat House at Colgate was given by the family in 2004 in memory of his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000.</p><br /><p>So if you row and you want to show your support for a fellow rower who's crossing the Atlantic solo and unsupported, please consider an online donation to <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at <a href="http://www.rowforhope.com">www.rowforhope.com</a>.</p><br /><p>Thanks, Bob!</p><br /><p>PaulPaul Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07695067016316699019noreply@blogger.com11