So yes, I’m just being annoying and telling you that they exist, while not telling you what they are. Sorry! I’ll tell you just as soon as I can. Promise.
Meanwhile I have taken a sharp left turn out of the Leeuwin Current that was pushing me south, and am now in friendlier north-flowing waters, although no closer to my destination.
You could say I have traveled a long way, but not got very far. But hey, you can’t rush a good ocean.
Other Stuff:
UncaDoug – good for you, voluntarily having a cold shower! Like a workout, not fun while it lasts, but you feel good afterwards. If it’s any consolation, my “shower” consists of a quarter bucketful of cold water, a sponge and a drop of shower gel, administered on the deck of a small boat!
Joan – I’d love to write a photography-related post, but not sure quite what. Hmmm, I seem to specialise in waterproof cameras, and photos of self, sea and sky. Seems rather a small niche!
On this day in history…. on Day 12 on the Atlantic, my first oar broke. Hmmm, have broken that record this time around.
Day 12 of first attempt on the Pacific in 2007 was the day that someone decided I needed rescuing and sent out the US Coast Guard to come and get me, very much against my will. So Day 12 in 2011, odd though it has been, has been significantly better than that one!
Re tipping points: I most definitely believe in the phenomenon of tipping points. It’s what gives me hope. Whether we need 2% or 10% or 50% of the population, and whether individuals need to be 30% motivated or 50% or 80% before they will make a change in their lifestyles, I have to believe that my actions might just help nudge a few more individuals towards being a little more motivated. And when you take my efforts combined with the efforts of everybody else striving to make a difference – eventually we will reach that collective tipping point and there will be a mass outbreak of good green common sense!
Sponsored Miles: Roz has still not regained the miles shown yesterday, but has at last managed to turn north again.
I think what I just posted to yesterday’s Blog might be a good daily reminder to keep in mind… No, I will not post it daily, but do keep this in mind…
“Hey All – MOST ESPECIALLY ROZ, Texino’s and Doug’s comment reminds me of something I mentioned here earlier… Roz is attempting the nearly impossible, in an extremely dangerous environment. I used to do it in 50′ racing sailboats – and that scared the s**t out of me at times… What Roz is doing is not for the faint of heart, weak of body, mind or soul… This is not a goal that will be achieved in the next minutes, hours or even days… So please, Roz too, stop looking at what you all have achieved, or haven’t achieved, these last 10 or so days… PLEASE look at what you, Roz, have achieved in these 365+ days at sea, what you have achieved in these 43 years, and what you will achieve in the next 40 or so – the amazing part of your life JUST BEGINNING as I said the other day at 40…”
Hey Roz. Met you at the IMDC and promised to have you on my blog!!! We were the backup film crew with Jo Ruxton. Bill Cooper sent the butterfly book to your mother.
You can’t rush a good ocean. It took me awhile to get your post, but I got there. And you’ll get there too. Glad to read your positive energy. Thoughts are with you.
http://www.theplasticocean.blogspot.com
Wonderful book with some gorgeous photos! Thank you so much for sending it. I hope that Roz will enjoy seeing it too, when we are together again towards the end of the year.
Hey Rita, That wondrous reunion with your “beautiful baby” – pictured here the other day, may seem like a long, and dangerous way off at the moment… BUT, BUT, You produced an amazing young woman in Roz… She will be fine… Rather than months to go, she is 2/3rds of the way there right now in the Big Picture of her amazing voyage… The Hugs, Kisses, I Love Yous will soon be happening… In fact, One thing I have learned over the years, When we have these Reunions, “The Hugs, Kisses and I Love Yous” seem to have a way of erasing all the time in-between each reunion… That is one of the best things about Life if you ask me… Love heals all wounds, and closes all gaps in time…
Roz, just about an hour ago, not seeing today’s post, I commented with the following on your Day 11 blog (#23 coincidentally), and my wish for you has come true: Northward HO!
Roz challenges fear and mortality
While full of fresh raw vitality
Heeding the consequence
Hoping the wind relents
Poseidon she jousts decidedly
Hoping to hear “Northward, Ho!” from you today ;-D
An now that I have finished my oats and cappuccino, I’m off for a brisk invigorating cold shower in your honor. YEEHAAA!
Row northerly, Roz!
I have a feeling that Roz’ 10 or so back-and-forth days are now behind her… Many have called me the most psychic person they know – lots of examples to share, but no worries, I won’t, and, oddly perhaps, this …sense seems to have gotten much stronger and more accurate post-coma… I just have a feeling that this leg of the voyage is now on a good heading… Go forth Roz…
Richard, today was definitely a milestone and tipping point in my humble opinion … note how decidedly she turned Sedna around, literally “on a dime” … and apropos of nothing, the reason I take cold showers is that I am in training to follow Roz in leaping into the freezing Antarctic waters as she did just a couple months ago … the initial shock of facing the shower head eye-to-eye (as equals in a joust) and knowing that I will prevail in spite of the initial attack, then acclimating to the cold and the fear drains away and the skin “warms” — actually becomes numb — to the cold … prevailing and enjoying the victory. When I had the initial idea to create http://bit.ly/EcoHeroColdShower I did some research. There is a very “cool” (pardon the pun) on the EcoHeroes badge page … read it … and enjoy!
Easy reading …
http://bit.ly/EcoHeroColdShower
http://bit.ly/RozAntArcPlungeDay8
http://www.sikhdharma.org/content/sadhana
Hey Doug, I was on the US Olympic 470 Team many years ago… The Annapolis 470 Racing Season was November to Early April – and called the “Mid-Winters”… The spray would often freeze instantly when it hit the mast… We were required to wear wet-suits to race in the “Mid-Winters”… But it always felt good to shed the hot wet-suit at the end of a race, and hit the frigid Chesapeake for a bit… So, I know the feeling you are enjoying…
By the way, Just one psychic story of my directional sense that Roz MIGHT appreciate. It was 1988 and my FIRST TRIP out of the U.S… My partner, Diana, and I went around the world, to nine jewelry auctions and exhibitions – In London, Glasgow, Geneva & Hong Kong, Plus side trips to The Costwolds, Blackpool and Blackburn, Tokyo, Hawaii – where I went to college my Freshman year, and CA, 26,000+ miles, all in 28 Days – the same length as my coma BTW EXACTLY 20 years later… While Diana (No, Not that Diana – but I met her (too) and Sir Elton at an auction in London soon thereafter – AMAZING People to have had the chance to visit with privately – Think of her and that time OFTEN) and I were at Heathrow Airport (Remember I had never been there before)… We were running late for our Geneva flight – having just dropped her daughters off to fly back to The States to their father. They gave us directions on how to get to our gate through underground walkways to save time… As Diana and I were running to the door they directed us to I said, “Diana, They are wrong, We want to go through this door.” She screamed at me, “Richard, We don’t have time to mess around. We’ll miss our flight!” I opened the door that I felt was right, and our gate was right there – at that door. Had we gone to the other door – several thousand more feet each way, we would have missed our flight… We were the last two people they allowed to board as it was… Diana looked at me, smiled, and said, “I HATE it when you do that!!!”
So, I do have a sense that Roz is now on her way as we were then – no running/rowing to one door or destination to then be sent back for us or Roz…
Roz,
I just started reading your blog recently and hage really enjoyed your musing. You are spending Easter riding northerly currents across the Pacific. I am sitting in Starbucks enjoying a latte. It’s strange that you would have an impact upon me, but there it is. Just thought I would share that.
Bryan
Roz,
Good luck from Maine. I just ran across your blogs today. Travel safe.
Roz, please! I want to hear more about what happened at that apex in the GPS chart … what happened at that moment in time that precipitated the dramatic turn-about northward. What were the circumstances: Poseidon, personal decision, it was about time … what was the tipping point?
Row gratefully, Roz!
RE tipping points: there are but three types of rubbish around here: MacDonalds; drink cans & booze bottles; cigarette packages & butts. Do you think that folk would die of the horrors if these were no longer available?
Grunle over, be on the look out for Roc eggs,they do float about in the Indian Ocean, about the size of a football.
Cigarette butts drive me INSANE. Polluting our air and then polluting our earth to boot, while they pollute their lungs. GAH!
Hi Roz, I just wanted to let you know that I love and admire your guts. I’ve crossed the Indian Ocean… not all in the same direction mind… more than once. I’ve been out there in some pretty horrendous conditions, albeit with the luxury of a much longer waterline, not to mention with at least another able-bodied person onboard. You’re so brave! I love reading your blogs. My favourite saying goes something like this…..when all is said and done, there is more said than done. Thank goodness for people like you. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that (ultimately) mother nature doesn’t deal you a card you can’t play. Thanks for the sunset pic. Sailing into that every evening is quite special. I’ll be thinking of you and looking forward to your blogs. Go well, stay well. Love ya guts! Sam
Roz – great to see you at Perth Sailing Boat House b4 you sailed – great to see and listen to you in person after being passive fan for many years. Read your book and catch up on your blogs often without being freaky 😉 Sureal to tou out there rowing in the big ocean alone while we all get on with our lives… So just wanted to say ‘hi’ and be another to support and respect you in your journey on the ocean and in life! When the going gets tough, imagine yourself as a rubber duck – you cant break a rubber duck!! Now hurry up and get back to OZ for your book tour, I have a prison for you to visit (ocean vs prison… Two opposites yet your message carries so much weight and could change a life… 🙂 Take care! and smile!! :0) Richard.
The suspense is killing us, Roz. Please tell soon…
Roz…you are a “tease”!!!
but what a fun way to engage us all in your soon-to-unfold mystery that may help us ride closer with you…it feels like you are as “itchy” as us to share your locations…but know that many of us who are following your daily travels are equally devising our own methods of “plotting” your charted ups and downs…
Here’s hoping that this Easter day, Sedna will continue to rise to the north and west with the winds behind and current carrying your forward…and, yes, like Unca Doug am also curious to hear more of the dramatic turnaround shown on your GPS chart this post…be well, be safe…we are doing our best to blow you in the right directions with our spirits…
An Important “Holiday” Note, I hope… On my round-the-world trip in 1988, Diana and I were away for Thanksgiving – to the horror of various members of our families. On Thanksgiving Day, We were down to the last week of this amazing 28-day, 26,000 Mile whirlwind “Business” trip… We each sat on the Black Sand Beach on The Big Island of Hawaii – not far from where I had gone top school 10 years earlier, Turkey and Cranberry Sauce Sandwich in one hand, A Primo Beer in the other… It wasn’t a bad way to spend Thanksgiving – We were where we wanted to be, We had accomplished something lots of people told us was impossible, We had Bags Full of Fine Chinese Silks, and Minds Full of great stories for our Loves for the upcoming holidays, All of which comforted us greatly – We were Thankful for the experience…
Roz. You are one brave and very plucky lady. Happy Easter to you. I wish you God speed and Bon Voyage.
Roz et al: Had to write – a call just came in… Need Your Help!!! Just got off the phone with the movie people getting ready to do the movie on me… Yes, On Easter Sunday!!! Everyone involved, including some fairly well-known friends in the biz (no names can be used until contracts are signed – But, you will know them) are so excited about this project, that I seem to hear from them daily now as they prepare to being writing the script in May…
ANYWAY, I could use your “Like” votes on this one – I guess it would be better to say, Roz could use your “Like” votes on this one (I will pass them along to the powers that be)… “The Powers That Be” are SO impressed by this Website, Roz, Her (Our) Environmental Causes (My “Bucket List” causes), Her Rozlings – ALL of you – that they would Love to have Roz play herself in this film… One of the aspects of my life is my Six Degrees of Separation (Or Less) connections to so many AMAZING people, places, events and causes, Roz being at the top of that list, that they want to play up that aspect of my life in the film…
So, Roz, et al, IF you think Roz should play Roz in this film – her causes will be prominent in that scene, Vote “Like” below… Being just a cyber friend, I have no idea as to whether this would interest Roz at all, but it might be fun… And they will work filming schedules around her other schedules… I think her scene would be done as she prepped for her “Homecoming” leg from the U.S. in 2012…
If this makes any difference, Two Academy Award Winning Actress Friends, A Motown Music City Award Winning Composer, Musician and Vocalist Friend, An Emmy & National Geographic Award Winning Cinematographer Friend, and lots of others have already said that they want in on this, So Roz would be sharing the screen with some well-known people that can only help our shared causes… BUT, BUT, No hard feelings at all if their is no interest – Just wanted to check!!!
Sorry for the typo corrected here, “BUT, BUT, No hard feelings at all if there is no interest – Just wanted to check!!!
I can’t wait until you reveal what your mystery is!
Suzy, me too … Roz, my mind has been making a list … and you know what? Judging from experience, my list probably is missing the real surprise … so I’m gonna stop thinking and just go with the flow, which sounds like this:
sussuration hiss
some int’resting plans afoot
waiting whisper taunts
Row teasingly, Roz!
Congrats! That chart looks great! Every current has an edge! My “Solidarity Row” is on for tomorrow, I had serious house and boat cleaning chores to do first today. Hey I’m single and have to everything myself but it’s a good retirement– (nothing compared to your world, God, my lake is like a mud puddle compared to where you are). No plastic comes aboard, water in a steel bottle and a Cliff energy bar. Nothing gets in the water but hey it is only 10 miles around–facing 90+ heat with a pleasant seabreeze of under 10knots. I’m wishing the same for you soon.
Here’s some words for you that help me in my challenges:
INDISPENSABLE ASSURANCE
“A person without ambition is like a ship afloat on the waves without sails or man-power. Such a person simply drifts: if he reaches port safely it is by chance.
But a ship under full sail or power needs one other important thing and that is a rudder. Then it needs a person to handle that rudder and that one needs FAITH. And before we have the substance of faith we must realize that your MIND creates realities. Faith is the wonderful power that builds these eternally REAL things.”
[Charles Fillmore, Unity, 1939]
Indispensable assurance, that you Roz will reach your goals day by day and the final destination.
I’ll be thinking of your example on my own ‘little row’ and my own life challenges!
Happy Easter Roz! : )
Also, I want to let you know that Monica Wilcox nominated you to be “2011 Ocean Hero”. I followed up with a nomination for you, myself. All of your fans can nominate you, too, at http://act.oceana.org/survey/sv-oh-nominations/?akid=2048.249329.jcFjw_&rd=1&t=1
And, remember…
“The Wright Brothers flew right through the smoke screen of impossibility.”
-Charles F. Kettering
Cheers!!
Sandra
As I stand here making some pies,
With all kinds of cooking supplies,
And as I’m trying to improvise,
A low-fat version for my thighs,
I’m pondering Roz rowing under skies,
That lead her onward to her prize,
Yet I’m hurt Roz doesn’t listen to our cries,
And that’s something that I really despise,
Even more than mosquitoes or flies,
Or clouds obscuring a beautiful sunrise,
For though we ask directly, or with disguise,
Roz refuses to tell us her “surprise”.
🙂
Roz, do you have some sort of “911” that you can call if you ever felt in danger? If so, who would respond? Local military?
Hi Katie, Roz has given me all the details of her crisis management plan, and should danger threaten all necessary action will be taken. I believe that maritime law requires the nearest vessel to assist if there is a crisis.
We saw it in action when two American girls in the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005 had to be rescued from the upturned hull of their boat after it capsized. The nearest ship happened to be a tall sailing ship run by a youth trust, and they were thrilled to have a real-life rescue on their hands. Imagine how the girls felt when they saw this magnificent ship, the Stavros Niarchos, approaching them under full sail.
Other rowers had to be rescued that year as well. Six of the twenty-six rowboats failed to make it across the ocean. No life was lost.
Rita, et al: By coincidence, My father was one of the top Maritime Attorneys of the 20th Century… Rita, You are absolutely right… International Maritime Law requires any ship, from any country with vessels at sea, to come to the aid of ANY seaman in distress – Not just “Military” or Coast Guard, ANY ship in the area MUST respond by law… Some people bring up the cost of this process… Every country with ships at sea covers the costs of those rescues by their ships in exchange for being able to count on other countries doing the same for their seaman when needed… One of the few laws that seems to work right in my book…
Roz, I had to comment on your amazing journey. You are a brave and incredible woman, my kids and I are following daily. What an inspiration and environmental crusader we need more people like you!