Picture: Conrad Humphreys (right) at the House of Commons talking to Hilary Benn MP, London, July 14th
I am delighted tonight to feature a special guest blog by Conrad Humphreys, who has had an impressive career in competitive sailing and is the founder of the BLUE Project, for which I am a BLUE Ambassador.
This week, The BLUE Project is exhibiting at the House of Commons, ahead of the release of the first draft of the Marine Bill. Featuring BLUE Ambassadors, remarkable sports men and women like Roz who are using the immense power of their sport to inspire and motivate individuals and organisations to actively care about sustaining our water environments. The exhibition also features initiatives such as BLUE Schools, The BLUE Mile and BLUE Communities, all mechanisms for engaging individuals and organisations with our water environments.
The BLUE Project exhibition was formally opened on Monday 14 July by Rt Hon Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and was also attended by Rt Hon Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister. Both Hilary Benn and Tessa Jowell made BLUE Pledges at the launch, demonstrating how sport and the environment can work together.
BLUE Communities consist of people like you, who follow Roz in her quest to row single handed across the Pacific Ocean because you are connected to our water environment and believe in Roz’s cause to raise awareness of the growing problem of plastic debris polluting our world’s oceans. You are people who care about our water environments and actively make small life changes to help reduce your impact on our climate and oceans.
In the last couple of weeks, we have been overwhelmed with the large number of BLUE pledges coming from followers of Roz. All of your pledges which are now featured on our website at www.theblueproject.org/makeapledge go a long way to growing a community who collectively can make a difference. Thank you very much for all your support.
As an ocean sailor, I can relate to the conditions and experiences that Roz is currently facing out in the Pacific Ocean. However, where as I am more used to bigger sail boats, I am in complete awe of Roz and her determination to complete this mammoth voyage in such a tiny vessel, alone and unsupported.
The BLUE Project is proud to have Roz as an Ambassador and wishes her all the very best with the rest of her voyage.
Fair winds Roz. Conrad Humphreys Ambassador & Founder of The BLUE Project
Other stuff:
Position at 2130 18th July Pacific Time, 0430 19th July UTC: 25 04.785’N, 133 04.502’W.
About an hour ago I passed 133 degrees West. I was rather pleased about this. After my hard-scrabble day yesterday, struggling to find motivation, I had set myself an immediate target of passing 133 before 10am tomorrow. So to pass it around 8pm tonight has cheered me up no end! Thanks to the brisk winds and significant ocean swell that have given me a helping hand – although they will probably also stop me getting much sleep tonight…
Thanks also to all my marvelous cheerleaders on dry land. I’ve been reading all your comments (Mum emails them to me) and they have given me a real boost – thank you!
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Click here to view Day 55 of the Atlantic Crossing 24 January 2006 “I’m just a girl who can’t say no” but practising.