For the Moment, a Family Affair

I'm Mark Ridley, Paul's dad, and it's my turn to be Guest Blogger, while Paul continues readying Liv for her great adventure.

Paul's step-mom, Nadine, and I arrived on the first ferry from Tenerife yesterday morning (Sunday), traveling with Liz Tomic, one of Paul and Joy's closest childhood friends. Joy and Paul met us at the dock (actually, Liv is practically at the dock herself, still mounted on her shipping pallet). We dropped off our baggage at our hotel, and then set to work.

Paul has spent most of the last several days in Liv's tiny aft cabin, working on wiring, drilling holes and then caulking them up, and shouting orders to his crew (while he's got us). For the moment, this expedition has become very much a family affair. But soon enough it will become an intensely solitary enterprise.

The wind has been blowing steadily here in La Gomera ever since our arrival. The gales have been strong enough to keep all but the largest boats in the marina, and it doesn't appear that anyone will be leaving port until Wednesday at the earliest. We're told that the roughest part of Paul's row may actually be the departure from the Canary Islands, because the winds and currents here make leaving the harbor and rounding the other islands quite a challenge.

The electronics are now up and running, for the most part, so efforts have turned to packing - principally the puzzle of how to get 90-days' supply of food into a space the size of a large foot-locker. Packages of freeze-dried food and Ramen noodles have been scattered about the docks here as food is sorted, packaged and crammed into every available cranny.

It's hard to believe that still, somehow, by Friday or Saturday, everything will have come together and the next phase of the expedition will begin.

It's a priviledge to be part of this adventure, if only in a small, supporting role. Thanks, Paul and Joy, for inviting us to help!

Holy Hell, we're in Gomera!

Hi all! It's Joy this time -- I've been nominated to write the next blog post as Paul is busily learning how to operate (or spell?) his AIS transponder. It sounds a lot like a flux capacitor to me, but I'm told it will tell him when another ship is nearby so that he can either get out of the way or politely ask for beer.

We arrived in the town of San Sebastian on the island of La Gomera late yesterday afternoon. The ferry ride was mainly spent trying to estimate the height of the waves and trying not to appear seasick. I'll let you guess which of us did what...

We found Liv safe and sound, and it didn't take us long to establish that she's the very smallest of any boat in the harbor. But she's still pretty impressive and is attracting the attention of a number of passersby, none of whom we can communicate with. Does anyone know how to say "Yes, the WHOLE Atlantic" or "bucket and chuck it" in Spanish??

Today we actually got a fair amount done, including making an extensive to-do list, which we promptly left at the hotel. We also managed to install a wire on the deck for Paul to be clipped into, and we drilled holes in the boat and the rudder (scary!) for the tracking system, the backup steering system, etc. I'm sure we did some other things too, but the main thing I can recall is that I correctly identified a vice grip. I'm quite handy.

We've got much more on the list for tomorrow, but first we need to find the list...

Tenerife

Ok, just quick note for now. I made it to safely to the Canary Islands and got my first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean that I´ll be living on for the next three months. My first reaction -- let me at it!

I´m taking a ferry over to La Gomera in a hour to meet up with my boat, and I hear that it made it there safe and sound and is in the marina where it should be. I´ll post some pictures, etc...as soon as I can. My sister Joy is here also, and the rest of the team will be getting in over the weekend.

Thanks to everyone for the notes of encouragement on the blog, facebook, and e-mail!

More soon,

Paul

The easy way to cross the Atlantic

Right now I'm sitting in the airport about to cross the Atlantic the
boring (but easier) way. I have a feeling the next time will be a
little more exciting...

Looking back, the last five days have been overwhelming, with emails,
text messages, and calls from friends, family, coworkers, press, and
complete strangers wishing me well. All of it has been a fantasic
reminder of how I've made it so close to the starting line for what is
sure to be an incredible adventure -- I've been lucky to have constant
encouragement and support, without which Row for Hope would have never
gotten off the ground.

Now enough of the sentimental stuff - I've haven't done anything yet,
and now it's time to earn it. Looking forward to a December 20th
departure !

Next time from the Canaries,

Paul

Lots more goodbyes...

Wow, so its been another busy day today getting ready to leave. My phone's been ringing off the hook with people wishing me good luck, which has been great. Based on everyone's goodbye's it seems like they're expecting me to disappear for years, rather than just a few months while I go splash around on my little rowing trip. Either way, its good to hear that so many people are following this!

One question I've gotten a lot is about how people can keep in touch with me while I'm out there. There are a few ways:
1) all of the comments on this blog will be consolidated and e-mailed to me in the boat
2) you can track my progress on www.rowforhope.com to see how fast I'm rowing
3) you can e-mail me at paul@rowforhope.com and my land-based team will forward these e-mails to me in the boat

Words of encouragement will be much appreciated while I'm at sea!

Paul

The Countdown Is On - 12 Days

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

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

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

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

Thanks to:

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

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

Paul

Cleared Customs!

Great news from Andrew Morris at PA Freight. Liv has cleared customs twice now, both in Liverpool after the first leg of the trip (from New York), and again in Tenerife, Canary Islands. She'll take one more ferry from Tenerife to La Gomera, where she'll be delivered to the marina in San Sebastian on Wednesday or Thursday.

View Larger Map