Charlie's B(oat)LOG
28th January 2010 - Day 24
Yesterday was bad. Now it's worse. If I was on land, I wouldn't be going to sea today! The sky is grey, the sea is angry and there are occasional rain squalls. I think the wind is about 30 knots plus and every now and again a wave crashes over the whole boat. The needle has settled, so I hope this is the worst of it and maybe I'll start to see an improvement later in the day. The wind is still westerly, but I've only drifted about 6 nautical miles southwards in 30 hours. This is very good and shows how well the sea anchor works. When I eventually get going, it will only take me two or three hours to row this distance, so I am feeling positive.
I have to think very carefully before I do anything like heating water or going on deck as we are in a constant washing cycle and it is very easy to loose a hold or your balance. Sometimes, the force of a wave smashing into the boat throws anything that is not stowed away, across the cabin. The hatch door has a safety catch so you can leave it 2cm opens for air. I've just had the inside soaked including the laptop from a very nasty wave. In fact,I am going to check for any external damage on this one.
If I came back to this world as a bird, there is one out here that suits me fine. He looks like Concorde. Bright orange beak with black streamlined eyes ( looks like the front end of Concorde), white body with grey / silvery markings on wings and a long tail, but particularly a single feather which shoots out way beyond his tail ( just like the back of Concorde). Can someone tell me what he is? He is quite big.
Somehow, I'm going to try and do some stretching, but otherwise it's more listening to audiobooks, eating and resting I'm afraid.
I am in a good state of mind, but welcome any emails and messages which brighten up my day somewhat.
Posted By: Charlie Pitcher, 28th January 2010 09:42:44
Edited By: Charlie Pitcher, 28th January 2010 09:54:41
Surely, it's GOT to be called a concorde.
Hi Charlie just reading your blog this morning, all the other boats are in the same circumstances and you aren’t losing any distance.
Those waves must be something else, no on one can fully understand what its like for you but keep your spirits up.
Wishing you good weather to see you back on your way.
Chip
Charlie
We are always looking forward to your blog, which we check on religiously. We hope there is an in-house video recording of all your antics... should be a best seller. You are in our constant prayers. I have been asking God for a INSTANT REAL miracle - the most favourable winds A.S.A.P. HOPE YOUR NEXT BLOG WILL BE A TESTIMONY
Lorna & Paul
Hello Charlie
Almost certainly a 'White-tailed Tropic Bird'
Sorry you're being put through the wringer, but glad that you are loosing so little distance.
Amazing how you manage to do you're blogs - brilliant! Keep them coming.
Love from all. Chris.
Just a quick one before I spend the day with Granny, God help me, think i would prefer to be in your situation!
But Murray is in the Final of the Aursralia Open, beating Cilic 3 sets to 2. So he will either play Federer or Tsonga
xx
http://www.birdingintaiwan.org/gallery/tseng/White-tailed%20Tropicbird.jpg
Hi Charlie.Took a while to track it down on the net, so lets hope that this is your bird...White-tailed Tropic bird.
Progress since 1330 yesterday 27th
Interesting to see your unexpected Southerly movement! At least your not going backwards like Vivaldi who have clocked up -12nm ! That would give hope to the chasing Jersey girls, if only we could contact them! laptop IS dead.Sat phone is still working but only one way. Very frustrating.
Roberto Coin, and No Fear are -7nm
Dream it Do it -11nm
Ocean Summit, Team Panasonic -9nm
Other teams are having mixed fortunes, clocking up very low mileages,apart from Yorkshire Challenger who have somehow managed an exceptional 14nm
Nyamezela 11th place, has drifted North 3nm
Team Panasonic 19th has doubled back on itself, easterly 9nm
Dream it Do it 22nd have over the past two days been pushed North about 20nm, and since yesterday 11nmEast ....poor sods.
Halcyon 28th gone North 7nm
Tess 29th N/W 11nm East 4nm
Hey Charles I do hope your well and its good to see you doing so well! Whilst im on is there anychance you could find a convenient place to pull over and sign a chq for me as you are currently 24 days overdue your terms?
Thanks Warren, see you soon.
Well that settles it. Cant both be wrong. That White-tailed Tropic bird,of which i have never heard, is one classy looking bird,which has latched on to one classy looking boat :) ..... No,going to resist the urge to include its owner in this comparison :):):):)
Hey Charlie that sea anchor is amazing. Do you think it would work if I attached it to the wifes credit card ?
Hi Charlie, it sounds crazy out there, but I'm glad to hear you're keeping your spirits up. You're doing so well. We're all rooting for you back here. I'm telling all my friends about you who are very impressed! You might like to know that you have a supporters in Antigua by the name of Tony Meston, who says he chose to support you because of your compassion. He would like to offer you an auction prize of a week's stay in his villa in Antigua to support your fundraising. He said you're doing so well that he "will have to mix up the Rum punch quick, or I won't have time to chill it before he gets here". Expect a big welcome when you get to the other side of the Atlantic! I am personally very jealous that you're on the way to Antigua, although I don't think I'd choose your means of travel! Keep up the good work. Best wishes, Jo.
Hi Charlie
I know the bird its a long tailed arse warlber..Not often seen but certainly heard or smelt
let me know if you see any other wildlife you want idenified
cheers
Alistair
Hey Charlie!!
hope that your cosy inside your cabin!! I just read your bolg as i do always from school every day, and everyone in my house are asking about how 'the guy you know is doing' and lots of people are crowding in my study at house to read your bolgs that you post they are very interesting (and they all think you must be an absolute machine to be beating the fours and pairs which id imagine everyone thinks) compared to life at school but i'd imagine you would beg to differ!!!!!
hope the weather clears and you get to power on glad to hear all is well and you are in good health!!! keep it up!!!!!
Much support from family and jamie and sally
Vincent.
PS. im writing this in another oring english lesson should really start concentraing!!! look forward to the next bolg!
Bloody hell. We are all in trouble if that East Coast comedian RB is on line.
Long Tailed Arse Warbler...my arse !
Hey Charlie, just got to IOW with Sal after a bit o travelling. We had some real shit weather about where you are now. The majority of the crew was either sick or just miserable. I recken you are in a good place in your position and in your head. In a week or so you should be harpooning some dorado! You will be eating the best sushi available!!! Shake a leg ol boy, we want to be in Antigua when you get there! Imagine how fine you will feel when your in, scrubbed and eating a nice meal at Trappas! After that you can catch the lines for the second place guy!
Steve Out!
Great job Charlie - you're doing amazingly. Nice contrast to MDS or maybe not with all the rain you had back in March! Keep going mon brave - you're a legend... Best, TB
Charlie, you may be having a tough time out there, but I had to go to Ikea on my way home from work last night, and as far as I can tell its staffed by a load of long tailed arse warblers, so named because (A) They warble out of their arse when you ask them for advice and (B) because it takes at least twice as long as it should do to get anything useful or informative from them.
Keep your spirits up. If you could make sure you get to Antigua by the morning of 22nd Feb, I can probably get you a berth on a boat for the Caribbean 600 which starts from Cape Shirley at 1100, if you're interested.
Lots of love from us both
Richard & Katie
Hang in there Charlie. Sounds like a washing machine mate. Have you noticed washing machine brands are a bit rude? Siemens, Hotpoint, Bosch, Smeg. You would think they'd try and keep it clean.
Carpe Diem mate - Kill the fish!
All the best,
Jenny, Sadie, George, Esther and Teddy. x
Irish math's test
Paddy wants a job, but the foreman won't hire him until he passes a little math's test.
Here is your first question, the foreman said. "Without using numbers, represent the number 9."
"Without numbers?" Paddy says? "Dat's easy." And proceeds to draw three trees.
"What's this?" the boss asks.
"Have you no brain? Tree and tree plus tree makes 9" says Paddy.
"Fair enough," says the boss. "Here's your second question. Use the same rules, but this time the number is 99."
Paddy stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree.. "Ere ye go."
The boss scratches his head and says, "How on earth do you get that to represent 99?"
"Each of them trees is dirty now. So, it's dirty tree, and dirty tree, plus dirty tree. Dat makes 99."
The boss is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire Paddy, so he says, "All right, last question. Same rules again, but represent the number 100."
Paddy stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, "Ere ye go. One hundred."
The boss looks at the attempt. "You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred!"
Paddy leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and whispers,
"A little dog came along and pooped by each tree.
So now you got dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd, which makes ONE HUNDRED!"
Charlie is the new supervisor.
Well Gadget Boy, Steve Jobs has just announced a new bit of kit for you when you get to dry land - the Apple iPad (it has been remarked that there must be no women in the Apple marketing department for that one to have got through). Anyway the real truth is that it simply looks like an enormous iPhone - an iPhone re-imagined for the 1980s that puts you in mind of Dom Jolly and his giant mobile: 'HALLO! HALLO! YES! I'M IN THE LIBRARY!'.
I want one though.
In other news, I have just been lucky enough to see the first instalment of Olivia's film about you - it is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius and will be an enduring memento of this crazy/beautiful adventure of your's.
Everyone will be watching it on their iPads!
Keep at it, 'innit
Rob
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