Whatever it was that you all said to Neptune yesterday, it must have worked. Conditions today were beautiful once the clouds cleared. Wave height, wind speed, and temperature were all perfect for a comfortable and profitable day’s rowing. It is very rare to get good mileage AND pleasant conditions. In fact, in around 500 days at sea I can probably count such days on the fingers of two hands. So it was VERY much appreciated.
The only problem with today was that I’ve had “Bad” by Michael Jackson going around in my head all day. I blame whoever it was (sorry for not remembering) who pointed out that my boat is acting as a FAD – a Fish Aggregating Device. And it occurred to me that, as well as the multitude of chaps downstairs, Sedna must also be a BAD – a Bird Aggregating Device, because the storm petrels regularly swoop around us as if magnetically drawn to this strange little purple object on a vast empty ocean.
So then I started humming, “I’m FAD, I’m BAD, you know it, come on” etc etc and now the tune won’t get out of my head. I might well be stuck with it all the way to the other side of the ocean. But it’s not all bad (so to speak) – it reminded me of Rico’s brilliant “ITCZ” (sung to the tune of “YMCA”) to commemorate my trials and tribulations in the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone – and that made me smile.
I often wonder what the local wildlife makes of me. How does Sedna look to a fish? To a bird? If they wander off, how do they find me again? What is the biological imperative that makes them congregate around me? Do the fish recognize the rhythm of my oars, or are their memories so short that it gives them a surprise every time the oars enter the water?
Other Stuff:
On top of everything else good that happened today, I discovered a bag of “Cosmic Love Cluster” nuts from Samudra. I thought I’d eaten them all, but this bag must have been hiding. I am due to pass a Significant Milestone tomorrow (wish I could tell you which one!) so now I have my celebratory food treat. Hurrah!
Rachel and Ellie – thanks for the ID on the white-tailed tropic bird. Sounds exactly right. He did a low-level fly-over to check me out – luckily no bombs dropped! Doug, your ID of the same was just plain daft! LOL!
Stan – thank you for your wise and intelligent comments on David H’s guest blog. Keep spreading the word, and hopefully one day we will reach that tipping point and see a major outbreak of common sense.
Quote for the day – apropos of nut discovery: “Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise.” (Alice Walker)
Sponsored Miles: Thanks to Steve Maskell and Diane Freeman, both of whom have sponsored a number of miles.
Nice to hear (read) you had a good rowing day. My family and I wish you many more!
Aye Roz; give it some wellie…;-)
So glad Neptune smiled. When you get back you could start a thing like iTunes called Neptunes. Cheers, Stephen
Stephen, I used the internet to translate “My daughter is rowing across the Indian Ocean.” It was translated as a dispute with the ocean. Well, says Roz, the ocean started it!
Yes, but Roz will finish it!
How’s the leg, Rita?
Thanks Rita, that’s really funny!
This blog made me laugh, Roz. There could be worse songs stuck in your head, such as…. No. I dare not say it!
Four months solo, out at sea, and that does not include the two weeks of warm up: You still manage to keep the good in check with the mediocre. Thanks for taking us along each stroke. It still amazes me that you take such care as not to get injured, that you seldom have a hot meal, certainly not a full one, that you continue to be a constant and unwavering sentinel of bravery and sober defiance. Not one prodigal motion… for four months and counting. You are over the top amazing!
Please celebrate your milestones knowing that we share that moment with you and look forward to your return. May every sunset you take us to be sweet and miraculous.
btw… (again imho) your Michael Jackson blog has got to be the worst one yet… but somehow you are so personable that you make it chime with each one of us as we have each gotten a song stuck in our head at one time or another.
hawaii five-0 is another good one… and the theme song from raiders of the lost arc/ indiana jones… daahn dandandAhh, daan-da-Daahhh… just fits you so well 🙂
Keep rowing Roz, and keep smiling, we like you best that way.
(Pssst… everybody else… let’s dress up as Johnny Depp or Tom Hanks on the day she sights shore… pass it on…)
~Jay
http://ellen.warnerbros.com/show/respond/?PlugID=433
Hi Roz,
Everyone’s gotta have a beat. It could be worse.
Cheers,
Eric
Ha ha . It’s me the FAD man. @shanabd on twitter. Say hello to My birth place , Maldives, while you pass thro the place for me.. Will ya?
If you’re going to have the tune of BAD stuck in your head, you might as well make it a song about yourself. “You know I’m Roz, I’m Roz, I row oceans because…” I’ll leave it to you to work out the rest of the words. As for me, I’m going to sing Jingle Bells to clear my mind.
Congratulations on your upcoming mystery milestone!
Hi Roz, congratulations on your latest significant milestone. Its so intriguing to figure out where you are, however, at the same time, it’s fascinating to follow your Indian Ocean Row here on your blog not knowing your exact co-ordinates but everything else. And to be honest, I am loving the fact that we don’t have information on your location, as it brings our focus to all the things that are really important and work consciously on some of the causes you are so passionate about. I don’t comment often but read your blog regularly, and every time I come here, I find inspiration. It could be a book that you’ve talked about, a quote, a philosophy Friday discussion, or your ocean adventures. Keep Rowing, and wishing you a safe journey back to land! And keep blogging! And thank you for everything you do!
I’ll take full credit for the FAD reference. Environmental groups lobby to ban such devices because of by-catch of dwindling pelagic species such as yellowfin and bigeye tuna.
We need a voice like Roz’s to bring attention to fishing gear that endangers ocean life.
From Pago Pago,
Poseiden says “you’re welcome”.
Roz, the key to getting a bad Michael Jackson song out of your head is to try NOT to think of an ABBA song! 😉