Considering I was supposed to leave yesterday, it’s surprising how much I’m finding still to do. It’s true that work expands to fill the time available, and these few extra days are proving quite useful. Some people have commented that I must feel frustrated at the delay, but if the ocean has taught me anything, it is patience. Things happen in their own good time – especially where weather is concerned.
I’ve quite enjoyed having the extra time to mooch around my boat, rearranging things, tweaking things, refining things. I’ve been out for long walks, appreciating my last few days on dry land, relishing and cherishing the sights and smells and sounds of terra firma. Soon these things will be a long-distant memory as I head out into my waterworld.
I’ve had time to sit in the coffee shop and commune with my journal (Freo coffee shop favourites are Fidel’s and Breaks), and think about what I would like to get out of this forthcoming row. It’s good to have an intention, but to be fairly relaxed as to whether it materialises or not. Or in what form it materialises. Yes, it would be great if I learned new things and had fresh insights. But that is not the kind of thing that you can decide upon in advance. What will be, will be.
I’ve also had time to cruise the internet and catch up on some news. The internet is one of the things that I miss when I’m on the ocean. Out there I don’t have the bandwidth for a browser, so I’m limited to email only. I was very interested to see, during the course of my perusings yesterday, that 350.org and 1Sky have merged. I thought this was an excellent move, for all the reasons that they state. We all need to pull together and combine forces in these challenging times. (I was wearing a 350 t-shirt as I finished the Pacific crossing.)
I mentioned this news to a friend here in Fremantle. Although very eco-wise, he hadn’t heard of 350.org, nor the significance of the 350 number. But I liked his off-the-cuff interpretation. It relied on the fact that the compass has 360 points. And that most of us (maybe 350 out of 360?) are wising up to the fact that we need to treat this Earth better. But 10 out of 360, the ones with power, the heads of corporations and a proportion of politicians, stand in the way.
I would like to believe this. But I’m not sure I can. How many people do really understand what is at stake? How many are doing something about it?
What do you think?
Other Stuff:
June and I spent this afternoon stickering my boat. Doesn’t she look fabulous?! Sedna’s bow is the province of the eco organizations that I am involved with:
Proud to have them on my prow!
BTW, apologies if the website is looking a little, errr, transitional, at the moment. Nick Jaffe of Arktisma and I are both working on updating the site before I launch, so it is currently a work in progress. Nick has developed and hosted my website free of charge, so I am immensely grateful to him for all his fantastic work, and for saving me a huge amount of money. Let’s hear it for Nick!!!! (And you haven’t even seen what he has created for the sponsor-a-mile project yet – I’ll tell you more tomorrow!)
Excellent, Roz! “Que sera sera” is a good attitude to take in matters natural. Except when it comes to “350” … we have a say in local efforts to transition from burning coal and oil to harvesting energy from the sun, wind, tides and other yet-to-be invented innovations. So much is already being done to achieve “350” … If you haven’t yet, please check out http://bit.ly/InnovateEnergy
Row energetically, Roz!
When the time comes 🙂
350…xo
Getting excited for Roz, putting you on my list of people to send positive energy to each day as I meditate!!
Now is the time for some pre-event visualizations, just as competing athletes do. Visualize calm seas, and your body being well and strong. And visualize a beautiful green and blue planet, and healthy oceans, and crisp clean air. These things will also put you in the spiritual frame of mind that you’re seeking.
Happy rowing!
Roz:
I wish I could be there for you on the rough/exhausting days, when you don’t feel like taking another oar stroke – but have to… Just to help on the roughest days, with a few thousand oar strokes of my own, if need be to take a little of the pressure off you for a moment at those times… But, Please know, All of us here ARE there with you in spirit, pulling WITH and FOR you as needed… Hope you feel the energy!!! We feel YOURS!!!
Richard
OMG Roz, an idea just hit me, Where you – and your love and efforts for the environment – and loathing for all things plastic and otherwise that harm it, including our seas and oceans, and I and The Free Wind Project – My non-profit, Community Based, Self-Sustaining Renewable Energy Company Featuring Electricity Delivered Free Of (Per KwH) Charge can make a huge difference, working together in this overall environmental goal… Write me upon your safe landing, and when up to it, IF INTERESTED, and we will get started…
Didn’t mean to be mysterious! TFWP just had an inquiry from an Irish firm that has won International Patents for converting X Tonnes of Plastic (Up to 20 Tonnes a day per system) into synthetic fuel usable in all “Internal Combustion” engines – Including Diesel – at 95% by weight… In other words, 20 Tonnes of Plastic producing 19 Tonnes of synthetic fuel = approx. 7000 Gallons/20,000+ Liters of Fuel a day in this example… Kind of amazing, eh??? They wondered in their 750 sq. meter per facility requirement “would fit into your community based renewable energy plans.” The “Fuel” produced from the community’s waste plastic being used for “back-up” power supplies and the like… All of the “Community’s” waste plastic, including bags, could be delivered to a convenient place IN THE COMMUNITY too, and then converted and used as back-up fuel to our Primary Wind, Solar, Geo-Thermal, Hydro and other Bio & Waste fuel energy generating systems – if and when needed, and to power the community’s vehicles otherwise…. Pretty cool eh? This could make communities totally self sufficient, including the fuel needed to power their vehicles – at least in part or in small communities…
Hi Roz,
I’ve been reading about your preparations with anticipation. My thoughts will be with you, go with blessings, a great heart, and the knowledge that many of us land locked folk will journey with you vicariously, through your posts.
May your legs, back, and arms serve you well, an I hope you are not overly plagued by rowing blisters on your behind.
with admiration and respect.
Norm of the Canadian Prairies 😀
I just love the purple boat, Roz. It looks absolutely fabulous. Hang in there, girl, you’ll be off soon. No worries. I’ve arranged it so the ocean will be there for you!!
I’m getting all excited about your upcoming launch, and so grateful to you for your commitment and dedication to raising awareness–you have certainly raised mine, increasingly as time goes on! Praying for calm, safe seas, a following wind and a wonderful and successful row as the third jewel in your “Rowing Queen of Oceans” crown!
Good luck from all of us in the Plastic Oceans team http://www.plasticoceans.org
Roz, I hope the past few days have given you some calming time, and that the weather has also had time to calm. While you and June tend to the last few details, we Rozlings seem to be on needles and pins. I, for one, am anxious to see the ripples spreading with the positive enthusiastic energy you produce with each stroke and blog on the open seas. As I type this, a haiku came to mind … my wish for you now is stillness and serenity when you rest these next 36 hours:
as launch approaches
Roz and Rozlings are prepared
butterfly wings pulse
All our best to you, Roz!
Roz:
An ancient story MIGHT be fitting here… I have been in the collectibles biz my whole life – now with my post-coma, “Bucket List”, non-profit environmental biz thrown in… Anyway, One of the earliest recorded popular collectibles is “Boxes” – of all shapes, sizes and materials – and here’s why… Many, many generations ago, a young woman went to the wise man of her village… Her parents were gone, her husband had just died in a war, she had “nothing to live for”… The wise man chuckled lovingly at the young woman, and said, “Sweet child, I have just want you need.” He handed her a beautiful, small, hinged-top, porcelain box. She looked at the wise man shocked and bewildered and said, in today’s (American) vernacular, “I tell you my family is gone, my husband was just killed, that I have nothing to live for, and all you can do is give me this fricken box?” He smiled at her and said, “Sweet Child, This is a Magic Box! It has unlimited space to store all of your happiest memories… BUT, BUT, BUT, If you should try to force just one unpleasant memory into the box, the top will remain ajar, the unpleasant memory will fall away and be lost forever, and the top with then close again – protecting the wondrous contents for later viewing as needed in the roughest times of life to come. Remember, The box has unlimited storage space for the happiest memories… So place your memories of the happiest times from the past in it, and add new ones as they happen, and always keep the box close to you so that you can open it and re-live all the great times whenever you need such a boost…” The young woman thanked the wise man, left with the beautiful magic box, and lived happily ever after…
Roz, Find yourself a GREAT, SMALL memory box, that can fit in some nook or cranny in your beautiful, and quite royal – fit for the queen of the oceans, craft – where you can get it if needed… Then find a nice place close at hand for it whenever you are back on terra firma too…
As a Bon Voyage toast – I only know one that is sort of fitting for the occasion of this great thing that you are doing for the world…
Roz, “May You live a thousand years! May I live a thousand years, less one day, so that I never hear you’ve passed away!”
Had to check… And it generated a question… Does this trip’s comparatively short 2.5 Hour Time (Zone) difference between Fremantle Departure and Mumbai Arrival have any noticeable effect on you – your “body clock” – over the duration, compared to your voyages that involved four or more time zones? Or does the sheer length of time at sea erase any time zone effect on your body clock?
Dear Roz:
So you are ready, Sedna is ready and all us Rozlings are ready. There’s really only one more thing to say:
Enjoy yourself!
John
Roz, friends are gathering at my house to watch and wish you Bon Voyage! If you happen to drop something in the water, please don’t swim after it and lose your boat. Promise!