Today I declared my email capabilities officially dead. Mentally I have already moved on. That’s just the way it is, and there is nothing to be done about it until I get back to dry land.
I think I had already resigned myself to this fact but out of a sense of duty I spent the whole morning on the phone to Rob at Remote Satellite (thank you Rob for being so generous with your time on a Sunday) and Paul at Vizada as we to try to solve the problem. My whole cabin was strewn with PCs, satellite phones and cables as we tried every possible permutation.
But is was not to be, and as the morning wore on I got more and more cranky at being cramped in my hot stuffy cabin while rowing conditions outside were relatively cool and pleasant.
So it was with a sense of relief that we finally declared the system to be beyond hope. I felt the need to purge my living quarters of techno-hassle so I removed every bit of defunct kit from my sleeping cabin and relegated it to the forward storage cabin. It left my control panel looking strangely denuded but I couldn’t stand having all that stuff lying around being pointless. So now it is out of the way and I can forget about it.
It could be worse. On the Atlantic I had no communications at all for the last 24 days, when my one and only satphone broke. My transponder was still working so my progress was still visible on the on-line map, but I was totally incommunicado apart from one occasion when I managed to make radio contact with a passing ship to let my mother know that I was OK.
I was actually quite content in my glorious isolation. I felt very lucky to be totally alone unto myself for those precious weeks. It was a rare privilege in this day and age when on one level we have so much communication, but on another level, so little connection. So much information, but so little understanding.
Other stuff: Despite my wasted morning conspired to give me my best day’s mileage ever – around 60 nautical miles including some good progress south. The breeze has helped to keep the conditions relatively comfortable too. Praise be to the weather gods and long may it continue.
No sign of Alf the spider today although maybe he took his morning exercise while I was confined to quarters dealing with text problems.
My new favourite lunch is the mock turkey crackers handmade for me by Marlene Depierre in Hawaii. The main ingredients of mock turkey are cashew nuts and cranberries with a few other savoury bits and bobs. Yummy cheese and plum jam
Position:02 07.254S 163 34.451E
Rita:
Please vote for Roz and Margo: http://www.refresheverything.com/oceanexplorers
Check where Roz is: http://www.facebook.com/RozSavageFan
Guess when she might arrive somewhere on dry land: Click on Go Roz Go.
Read more about what happened when her satphone broke during the Atlantic row in her e-book “Blogs from the Blue” available on her Ebay Store.
Thank you Doug for a further contribution to the Chip In appeal.
EcoHeroes is now live, and email messages will soon be going out to the thousands of people who have signed up.
Roz, I love the phrase in your blog above – “on one level we have so much communication, but on another level, so little connection. So much information, but so little understanding.” I hope you don’t mind but I’m going to use your quote (attributed to you, obviously) in one or more of my blogs. I think it’s fantastic what you’re doing. You are a true inspiration! My thoughts are with you for a truly amazing and transformational experience. Best wishes, Tony.
Hi Roz,
I’m sorry to hear your email it broke. Perhaps you can give it another shot when your frustration level drops. Yeah, I know – fat chance. But worth a try if the weather cools. BTW, haven’t turkeys been mocked enough?
Cool days,
Eric
Roz, Thinking of you every day and saying prayers for your success and safety! Roger
Roz, silly question but, if you don’t have email, how did you write that message? OH well, over here there is a massive oil spill preparing to destroy the gulf of Mexico, so you can take your time rowing back. Also if that oil gets into the gulf stream, it could be curtains for the British Isles as well. Of course, all the oil could leak out,so I guess we will be diving human powered vehicles when you return. The state of Arizona has made it illegal to be a Mexican, so they will most likely hitch them up to small bus wagons to carry the real Americans around. What a progressive and grand country we have. Perhaps OZ or NZ might suit you as a base of operations until I get things sorted. That’s the news for now. Texino
Texino, you will find the answer to your silly (?) question if you read the blog for Day 14. That will tell you all about it. I am just sorry that the blogs have come one so soon after the other, but Roz had a backlog of blogs prepared, so days 13, 14, and 15 are all rather close together!
Kind regards, Rita.
Thank you Rita, for transcribing Roz’s messages.
Roz – At least now since the email has been declared dead you can try and focus on the rowing.
Keep it up and hope that wind becomes favourable.
Matt
Morning Rita and Roz,
Thank you for keeping friends and supporters informed and calm. Life’s not perfect. Man made stuff even less so. The difference is how we all move forward and through detours. Darn good to know we have a Savage on each end of the sat phone! Thank you both for your determination and spirit. Each day a new opportunity for education and awareness. There does seem to be a void in the public’s understanding how every personnel action relates to the health of the planet.
Since Roz will have more time to focus on rowing. All you betting individuals might dust off your stop watches and set that calendar aside. Roz wave cutter Savage is tough, smart and full of heart. Perhaps the t-shirt might read: Savage travel agency. R& R for one, awareness for all.
Could be a golden chance for our group of supporters to step up our efforts. Along with our daily eco goals. Make the time to write to others asking help to support Roz Savage nonprofit. Use every social media method you use daily. Add links to every correspondence.
Roz is rowing for us all! Think of the best gift we can give her. Then take the time to DO IT, little moves.I do hope the communication equipment team continues to brain storm real effort , for real results. Now would be a great chance to show the rest of the planet. Customer service is not a bunch of letters on a web site.
Thank you Rita,row on Roz,
Bill
Word for the day- supplicate (SUP-lih-kate)- to make a humble, sincere and earnest request of someone.
Quote of the day:
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller