Bonnie Hunt Show

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I'm in LA today to tape the Bonnie Hunt show. Check out www.bonniehunt.com for more. Looks like it will air Thursday.

Paul

CBS - The Early Show Clip

My interview on The Early Show aired this morning!

Check it out here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4938856n

Paul

Early Show Bumps Paul Again!

Paul's been bumped AGAIN from the CBS Early Show.

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.)

Thanks for being patient!

Paul on CBS Early Show This Thursday

The CBS Early Show will be welcoming Paul for a live interview on Thursday morning, April 9, probably during the 7-8 A.M. hour.

This appearance has been moved several times; check here for the latest information on the exact time of the interview.

Where in the world am I today?

That's an easy one -- HOME!

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.

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.

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.

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.

I suppose that this feeling will go away soon, but for now I'm wondering "where in the world am I?"

I really miss Liv.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Challenge to the Rowing Community

Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!

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.

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.

Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.

Paul

Sad to see her go...

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.

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).

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.

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.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Challenge to the Rowing Community

Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!

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.

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.

Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.

Paul

LAND, and everything that comes with it....

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!

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.

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!

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.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Challenge to the Rowing Community

Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!

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.

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.

Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.

Paul

Open Water

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.

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!

Here goes:

Every Dream Coming True at Once

WOW. WOW. WOW!!!

Paul here, and very much on dry land as promised!

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!

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.

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.

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!

Loving LAND!

Paul

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.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Challenge to the Rowing Community

Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!

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.

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.

Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.

1st full day on land

Hi, 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:

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.

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.

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!

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":

Joy

CNN Coverage of Row for Hope

Paul will try to do his first blog entry from land some time today.

In the meantime, here's a link to the story on CNN.com (one of CNN's Top 10 Stories at the moment). And here's the clip of yesterday's arrival interview.

CNN was 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 . . . .

Thanks again for all your support for Paul and Row for Hope!

The Row for Hope Support Team

Day 88: HE DID IT!!!

PAUL HAS LANDED SAFELY IN ANTIGUA!!! THE ROW HAS BEEN COMPLETED!!!

Hear Paul live on CNN at 4:45 P.M. today (Sunday).

Day 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.

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.

Will try to update again soon, and will post pictures of Paul on land!

Day 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.

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.

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).

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!

Oh, and while I sit and write, here's what I'm missing out on:

Day 86

Quick update from the Atlantic -- my last until I hit dry land!

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!

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.

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 his 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.

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.

Next time from LAND!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A Challenge to the Rowing Community

Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!

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.

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.

Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.

Thanks, Bob!

Paul

Day 85: Guest Post (Updated)

Just posted the following "tweet" for those following Paul on Twitter:

"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!" Hurrah!!!

(To get brief, frequent updates via Twitter, visit the panel to the right.)

One of the commenters asked, "Can you explain why it would not be good if Paul were to land in Guadeloupe or another island?"

Several reasons:
+ 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.
+ The plan is to ship Liv back to the states from Antigua. Landing elsewhere would create a host of logistical problems.
+ 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.

Thanks for asking!

_____________________________________________

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.

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 wonderful, providing the perfect mixture of calm presence, knowledge of local waters, and up-to-the-minute computerized wind/current data.

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!

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!

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!

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!!!

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)!

Mark

Day 84

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).

Other news:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.

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.

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...

Paul

Day 83

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.

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.

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.

Suffice it to say that spirits aboard Liv have been higher.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A Challenge to the Rowing Community

Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!

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.

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.

Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.

Thanks, Bob!

Paul

Day 82

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.

Other facts as follows:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.

All of this boils down to one thing really -- this row, and the many difficulties associated with it, is still far from over.

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A Challenge to the Rowing Community

Do you row? Have you rowed? Do you know someone who rows? If so, here's a special challenge to you!

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.

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.

Please be sure to add "Glendening Challenge" when completing the Gift Information section online at www.rowforhope.com.

Thanks, Bob!

Paul

CNN Report on Row for Hope

Send this link to your friends:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/03/23/whitfield.row.for.hope.cnn