Charlie's B(oat)LOG
28th February 2010 - My last 36 hours at sea and the finish
I last posted a blog from sea when I was 54 miles from the finish on the 24th February. Shortly after posting that blog, a fishing boat from Guadeloupe appeared and wanted to come alongside, throw me a line a give me a tow! However, after much consideration (about 10 seconds!) I declined the offer and said I was ok. They couldn't understand this, as I was being thrown all over the place, waves were randomly breaking into the cockpit and I was stark naked. They probably thought I was some kind of a madman in a helicopter that had lost it's rotors as they certainly had never seen anything like my boat before! ha ha. After about 15 minutes we said our goodbyes and they vanished as quickly as they had appeared. This was my first visual contact with another person since seeing the girls from Explore many weeks before somewhere north of the Cape Verde Islands. I felt lifted and knew civilisation wasn't far away.
I called Simon again in Antigua to get some more local information on the weather. He said " Charlie, you have got to get rowing as best as you can and try to get in 15 miles as you are sitting in a strong northerly current. Johnathon Cornelious from ABSAR is definite about this and knows the area better than anyone". I said " Simon, I can hardly keep the boat dry, let alone trying to row it across these seas!" Simon said " I understand your situation, but this is your choice. Drift north at 1.5 knots or try to row into a better current. See you, bye".
At about 1300 I pulled up the sea anchor and started west. With the most uncomfortable row I had ever had, at least I found I was making way at a reasonable rate of about 2.5 knots which gradually improved over the coming hours. I rowed until I collapsed about six hours later and dropped the sea anchor again. I was 38 miles from Antigua. I started drifting north at 0.3 knots. Simon and Jonathan's advice paid off. I was utterly exhausted and lay down. Two hours later, the wind had completely dropped, the sea became more manageable and the wind direction changed to SSW. I knew the wind was going to veer even more before any fair weather came, so in a desperate state, got going on the oars, hoping to get closer to the finish.... which lasted for about one hour! My strength had completely gone, I couldn't pull a piece of cotton wool! With the wind going all variable on me, I put out the sea anchor for what was to be the last time, set the boat across the rode line and found I was drifting 0.2 knots in generally the right direction. Result. I went below and lay down again, fell asleep straight away.
Suddenly I jumped up and felt something was terribly wrong. It was pitch black and I didn't know where I was. I looked at the Chart plotter and it showed my track over the two hours on sea anchor had been 1.5 knots 45 degrees off where I wanted to go. This couldn't be true, but after pinching myself and checking the wind direction with my hand bearing compass, sure enough this was an opportunity. I grabbed all my food and drink and stationed them around the seat, pulled up the anchor and rowed and rowed and rowed non stop as hard as I could for the next 14.5 hours into one of the hottest days, but with a following wind all the way to the finish. I had to stop once to make more water as I consumed in excess of 10 litres, but nothing was going to stop me. Nothing. 18 miles out, I called ABSAR (Antigua Barbuda Search And Rescue)on the VHF to notify them of my imminent arrival. I called Emma and said I was definitely going to arrive today sometime in the mid afternoon. My mind was blank. All I had on my mind was "finish this before that wind changes again". However, as I was within 10 - 15 miles to the finish and knew nothing could stop me, the emotions kicked in and as I rowed, I regularly broke down in tears of joy, disbelief and that I was about to achieve what I set out to do over two years beforehand.
ZigZag, a beautiful Oyster 80 owned by Richard and Dannette Matthews, fellow East Coast sailors, suddenly appeared alongside me with 6 miles to go. There on board her, I could see my little boys and my lovely wife. My fantastic sisters, the ever supportive Poul and Sophia and Livvy doing all the filming. I will never forget that time and can't thank Richard enough for acting as Mothership. I felt like the most special person in the world as they patiently followed alongside me for the next few hours to the finish. Shortly after their arrival, Stay Calm, another beautiful Swan 72, owned by close our friends, Stuart and Emma Robinson, joined in on the other flank with Jo Head, Jonathan and Jan Money. So there I was, the smallest little rowing boat closing in to finish at a steady rate of 4.0 knots amongst two beautiful boats with some of the world's best sailors watching me. What an honour.
The gun went off at 1617 local time, the horns and sirens sounded and up popped a whale right in front of me! No one could believe it!
How did I feel? Well I always said InsureandGo would either break records or break hearts in this race. I had gambled with a radical new design. It had paid off. We had broken records. What more could one ask for?
I will stop here and talk about the awesome reception I received in English Harbour in the following blog.
Posted By: Charlie Pitcher, 28th February 2010 17:04:40
FANTASTIC! WHAT A WELCOME AND HOMECOMING! i HEAR THAT YOU WERE OUT SAILING ALL DAY YESTERDAY. You just can't keep away fom the water.
WHAT A HERO YOU ARE! All love, Mum.XXXXXXX
Hi Charlie
Your blog reads like the last few pages of a good book. Can't wait until the next instalment. I came across the Woodvale Rowing Race quite by chance. I picked 6 boats at random to follow. It's been captivating to keep up with the race and I'm glad you were one of them. Well done {heartfelt, but the words sound inadequate}. You certainly deserve the glory. All the best, Carol & Ray
What an emotional,lump in the throat finish to a great race Charlie.There was no way that you were going to row in unnoticed,but to have that whale as well as the two yacht escort.....!
Well done....and thanks for keeping us so well entertained via your blogs for the last seven plus weeks,as its been an absolute pleasure.
great photos of you and the boys at the finish. looking forward to seeing you back here soon
chris
WELL DONE, NIPPER knew you would achieve you goal, well done also to the other people in your venture. No doubt it will be nice to stand up, well for awhile until the rum has an affect. Enjoy your moment take care, ps will look forward to reading the BOOK. Take care, Rooky
The hair on my arms is standing up. What more can I say!
Inspiring.
Well done mate!
Mr P
Have tears in my eyes reading this last blog. It must have been the most amazing finish to such an epic journey. You truely are an inspiration to everyone,well done Charlie.
Have so enjoyed reading your blogs, will now concentrate on my nephew on Yorkshire Challenger,know his mum is out there with you and told me about your finish,wonderful stuff!
Hope your are having a well deserved with your family and friends.
best wishes
Catherine
What a legend!
I cant even begin to comprehend what you have just been through. Beats the MdS hands down! You utterly smashed the competition too.
Wonderful stuff Charlie, you must be made of steel.
well done,
Rick
BRILLIANT! simply Brilliant Charlie! I am inspired.
Greg
Well done Charlie, awsome acheivment, you deserve it, your a machine. Enjoy your time with family and friends.
Dear Charlie
You're a legend, a deserving champion! Very well done!
We've loved your blogs throughout - hugely informative and entertaining. Thank you so much for taking the time to write them - by reading your very descriptive words we've often felt as though we were experiencing things with you, first hand.
As you've said, this is easily the hardest thing you've ever done. One wonders what you're going to do next to top this one????? Just kidding. :-))
I'm sure that you're loving being back on terra firma, and loving being back with your family. Special, memorable moments ...
Very well done Charlie. You've been an inspiration to us all.
Best regards,
Hans Post and all at the Elgin Rowing Club, Western Cape, South Africa
Charlie,
Amazing. Incredible achievement. You and yours should be so proud.
All the best,
Marcus
Congratulations Charlie! An unbelieveable achievement! Absolutely amazing!
I remember asking Robin how important the race was to you versus the challenge ... and now you're a record breaker!
Andrea & Phil xx
What a finish! Like Catherine I have tears in my eyes.
Superb, utterly amazing.
Thank you Charlie.
MANY CONGRATULATIONS CHARLIE!!!! What a marvellous feat, we're all so proud and thrilled.
We have raised glass after glass to your amazing acheivement, still can't believe you actually did the race AND won it too. Hope you're having a fabulous time relaxing in Antigua and can't wait to see you soon. P.s. picked up the Essex Chronical in Sainsbury's this morning - you're on the front page!
Lots of love
Penny, Adam and Charlie xxxx
An absolutely amazing achievment Charlie. Well, so many amazing achievments & all the more so considering this years weather. In time other rowers will set new records for the crossing but no one can ever take "first solo to win the race" from you. That one's yours for ever, fantastic ! Thank you so much for sharing all this with us through your blog. Your ability to continue posting such entertaining & riveting stuff in the midst of it all is yet another one of your talents that has left so many of us mere mortals looking on in slackjawed awe.
I think future ocean rowing races might look somewhat different following the brief adventures of the Fantastic Mr Fox in his quirky little boat.
CONGRATULATIONS !
An absolutely amazing achievment Charlie. Well, so many amazing achievments & all the more so considering this years weather. In time other rowers will set new records for the crossing but no one can ever take "first solo to win the race" from you. That one's yours for ever, fantastic ! Thank you so much for sharing all this with us through your blog. Your ability to continue posting such entertaining & riveting stuff in the midst of it all is yet another one of your talents that has left so many of us mere mortals looking on in slackjawed awe.
I think future ocean rowing races might look somewhat different following the brief adventures of the Fantastic Mr Fox in his quirky little boat.
CONGRATULATIONS !
wow (looking forward to the next installment!)
Fantastic work Charlie!
Maybe next time you can even the playing field by leaving your sea anchor down for the entire race?
Give the pairs and fours a sporting chance, eh?
Seriously - inspiring stuff.
All the best to you and the family,
Richard, Elissa, Sam & Olivia.
Congratulations Charlie,
An incredible achievment, well done.
Nigel @ Protosheet
Congratulations Charlie, sounds like the final hours at sea were the toughest, but you made it with your strength and determination. We are very proud of you. Love Emily and Jamie xxx
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