Charlie's B(oat)LOG
22nd January 2010 - Day 17
Again, a difficult morning session with no formation to the waves. As my boat is so small, the big Atlantic swell pushes me which ever way it is going. Now this is interesting, I'll be rowing slowly in one direction, eye on the compass when I will find myself being escalated side ways. First to the left, then to the right, or diagonally. It's a wierd thing to see, but I feel it is almost as if I'm in Big Brother's cup of tea and he has just stirred it with a spoon (yeah? maybe not!).
Moving on, the conditions improved and now they are basically ideal for knocking out the miles. I've got myself into a system of rowing all day, stopping at dusk for a few hours, then banging out another couple of watches during the night, finishing with a good sleep before starting all over again at 0800 (still dark). It works well for me whilst the conditions are steady and I'm getting enough rest.
My Autopilot has a mind of it's own and every 2 - 3 hours or so, it will suddenly take us due North. When I'm resting, this can be a shock as I wake up wondering what the hell is going on, crash, slap, bang etc. I don't know how to sort it out, but have re-calibrated the compass three times since starting. Again,it may be to do with voltage supply?
I feel lonely out here at the front and am wondering what people think about my situation. New design of boat, fair-play or whatever, but the fact is I've come up with an approved innovative alternative to the more traditional craft and am presently storming the entire fleet. I do wish it was more of a race and Pete was up here with me. (Storm coming in three days, maybe he will be!!) He is certainly the Sound of Thunder and working his way through towards the leading pack, so watch him. Apart from my boat, I've put two years into this without any compromise and I've never been fitter and stronger than now. Although many of us here are fit for the job, my mind is my strongest element and making the real difference.
The best part of the day is looking forward to opening up my email and reading all the messages from everyone. It is a fantastic time and it's great to hear from some people I don't even know. You are all friends, I have all your messages filed here and once this race is over, I'll get to writing back to you (if I have your email). Please everyone, anyone who wants to drop a line...KEEP THEM COMING. IT IS FUEL TO MY ENERGY BANK. Thanks. Tim Rowntree, sorry but I just had to give you a mention, you star. Darren, I love "the huns underhung rubber" story in the showers instead of "underhung rudder". (still laughing now)
Steering a course of 266T for the next few days until I meet my way-point somewhere near half way. Weather fair. Food still good!
Posted By: Charlie Pitcher, 22nd January 2010 23:46:44
Great rowing Charlie - so exciting watching you mince the fleet and whizz across the ocean. GLad you're enjoying it too.
Happy days!
Sarah x
Hi Charlie, I met you out in La Gomera when I was there with Beech Boys Atlantic (my husband and son) - we talked about Christmas cake! I have been reading your blog and just want to encourage you and tell you not to worry about what people are thinking about your new design in terms of fair play, etc - I'm positive that everyone is thinking 'Good on you'. What a fantastic achievement, and what a strong person you are to carry it through!! I cant believe how little you are able to sleep and still keep up the pace. Well done you!! Keep going - I think you are great (if not a little mad, like everyone in the race, including my two men!) Christine x x
Charlie
Christine is bang on - don't give it another minute's thought: it is dedication, determination and initiative that has put you where you are and deserve to be. Everyone started from the same baseline, you have simply outperformed everyone. Just go and win it.
Good luck to Beech Boys too.
Rob
Hi Charlie, have you got any 'Village people' on the i-pod? Its uncanny reading the lyrics to their song 'Go West' they seem meant for you!
Go west because Antiguas there.
(Go west) lots of 10 knot air.
(Go west) we're all be-hind you
(Go west) is what you must do.
(Go west) sun in winter time.
(Go west) you will do just fine.
(Go west) where the skies are blue .
(Go west) this and more you'll do.
Best wishes, Sally.
Hi Charlie you dont know me ............ dont worry im not some freak !!!!! my brother Andy Wilkins forwarded your blog to me ...... well all i can say is bloody hell and a very very big well done....... not many people would or could do what you are doing so the best of luck and hang on in there!!! im sure when you finish there will be a massive pot of hand cream waiting for you ;) keep up the good work row row row your boat ........ xx
Charlie, We all saw your preparation. Physical- Not just the past 2 years of intense and well thought through physical exercise encompassing benchmarks in human endurance such as the 'Marathon des Sables'. Not just the strict and professionally designed methodology of your approach to diet and progressively targeted training toward your goal. Not just the 4:00am starts and the balance with your family and their support. ALSO about 35 years of competitive fitness and the intense endurance that you have created in those old bones. Endurance that has a mental component as well as physical. Mate, this is your time and you are at your peak. You are bloody strong! Design- 40 years of competitive sailing at the highest level in both dinghies, offshore and America's Cup has been the backbone of your design of boat. You are one of the best seaman that I have sailed with and your understanding of how to set a boat, up to slide with minimum effort in the right direction, when its being rowed or even when you are sleeping eclipses anyone else out there. Your understanding of what to look for in the design of your rudder, canard and both the underwater and above shape and how to work with an architect have created this race leader. This is your design as much as the architect. You and again your experience have been the design driving force. Your approach has been bloody smart! Mental- Mentals not the word you're a complete Nutter and have always been different. In a good way though. Painting the Secretary of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club's daughters Cadet pink and sending it off solo into the river Crouch solo was an 'idea' maybe not such a good one at the time to some but possibly the tiny seed that started this? Mental strength though is another thing, you set your goals, created a plan and a pathway and stuck to it. Not easy when you have a large family. Big hand to Emma, what a girl! Now that you are out there its the same, you have found a routine that works and you have the mental strength to stick with it. You're bloody mental! So Charlie, please lets have no more talk of fair play. This is your creation that has come from your effort and you deserve your 200 mile lead absolutely! The bloody Australians winning America's Cup 1983? Would you take that as unfair? I don't think so. You are doing exactly what your father did when he won the FD World Championships. You are taking a whole lot of skill, experience, ability and fitness and underscoring it with the knowlege to make a boat perform to its best ability. Dick did this with a graphite skin. He would have won anyway, everyone knows this. You'd could do this on a log and we all know it. As to loneliness, that, like taxes is a high class problem. When you are old and lonely and friendless because all your buddies have snuffed it trying to keep up with you then you can have the company of a memory of dragging 150KGs of water across the Atlantic. The 43 day record even with this extra weight of two deadweight bodies is well within your grasp. Well done Charlie, monumental effort. Stay safe. Your Aye Lemming
Here here Lemming, well put!
Hey, you deserve to be where you are at the front - your combination of clever, skilled, experienced, determined, mentally and physically robust, just mean you are doing it better than the others - so keep it up, I love reading your blog - watching that little dot streaking away towards the finish flag. Right with you in our thoughts - big hugs and stay safe Love Annalisa
Charlie, just keep on doing what you are doing so well.
It’s about innovation and very few people would have the balls to try what you are doing in an untried and untested design. They will next time!!
I see you have taken some miles off Britannia III keep it up.
Keep safe and well
The Warrens
Hi Charlie
I'm backing the Lemming! You have done everything absolutely fair and square so we'll hear no more about it!! The guys in the gym are all taking about you and how amazingly well you are doing. Dino arrived back after his six week hol to NZ and it was the first thing he mentioned. He has big news too - Jules has agreed to marry him :-)
I did a little row today - and could not help but think of you. I managed a PB on my half marathon but with blisters in more places than I care to mention I wonder how on earth your poor bod copes with what you are putting it through! As for your mind - well - an hour and half was quite enough for one day!
Your boat may well be different to the others, but as already mentioned it is legal and it is purely down to your intellect, experience and skills that you had it built that way and you should feel very proud of yourself that all that hard work is paying off in exactly the way you had dreamt of. Also, I am 100% sure this is not all down to JJ - I doubt anyone else rowing it would storm across the ocean the way you are - your physical and mental strength is second to none. No more wondering what anyone is thinking about you please - we are all behind you and immensely proud, keep sprinting away from the pack!
Roz x
I'm with Lemming, Roz, Rob, Christine, Sarah, Sally, Lyn, Quentin, Annalisa, James, and everyone who reads this blog and is cheering you on. We'll see your design of boat in years to come but your record will stand for a long time. Tiger! Machine! Beast! Roooaaar!
Keep at it handsome,
Big love,
Andy, Sadie, George, Esther and Teddy x
Totally agree with both Rob and Christine - you have got into the lead through hard work and dedicatuion. Steve Jobs (CEO @ Apple) once said that 'Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
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