Yet again hour hopes were pinned on a phone call to Al back in Auckland. I had realised by now that this dependence was to a large extent at the heart of my ever increasing anxiety and also huge peaks and troughs in both mood and morale. Never before had i felt so exposed or rather so dependent on someone else’s knowledge and someone else’s viewpoint. .and it didn’t sit too comfortably with me. This had nothing to do with Al and everything to do with me needing to be in control of the situation.
If nothing else this trip has taught me just how much of a control freak i can be – control freak in as much as i need to have all information at my disposal so i can make decisions and having to rely on other people for this plays havoc with my mind. Al was waaaaaay more experienced than me in all facets of the ocean life, including weather systems and currents yet still i yearned to have all the charts, graphs an forecasts to hand so i could make the call as to where we needed to go...time for me to take a chill pill, relax and accept that this was no way you live ones life – time to let other people in!
Al confirmed exactly what we wanted to hear, that in 2 hours time the winds would arrive from the SE and would increase to up to 20 knots by midnight. Well folks after so many dashed hopes i cannot tell you how good this was to hear and a general mood of jubilation once again swept through the camp as images of the golden sands of Mauritius returned – may be just may be these were the winds both Al and Tony had talked about that would hopefully be around for some time and take us some way towards our piece of paradise.
Well the winds did arrive bang on cue, but the only problem was they weren’t the winds we had been expecting. Mmm once again hopes dashed, even if we should never have built them u to such a frenzied state in the first place. So it was a strong southerly arrived which was by no means the end of the world as there was some assistance to be found but when you’ve built it up in your mind that you’re about to get the dream ticket then anything short of this suddenly becomes a huge disappointment...and that’s just what happened. Yet again here was another chapter in the emotional roller coaster we were putting ourselves through and once again far from the winds being the major problem it was now plainly obvious the biggest problem for all of us was fast becoming our mental fragility. Put simply we had to STOP thinking about Mauritius and start refocusing on the job in hand and celebrating every metre and every mile...just like Mr Fiennes had advised. If we didn’t i for one was sure to go mad...or at least a little madder than i already was.
To make matters worse hand pumping was again back on the agenda as power was down and water levels were running perilously low – which given the cut backs in food was now more important than ever to help supplement our diets with protein mixes etc.
The night shift was as every night shift seems to be, quite challenging. With big seas and gusting winds of 20 knots plus...and no moon didn’t exactly help matters. The strong southerly meant once again i got coated with every stroke from Pete ‘splasher’ Staples – and if it wasn’t from the oars then it would invariably be a wave as one after the other crashed over the beam (don’t worry mum harnesses and life jackets were donned just as i have always promised!). We battled on throughout the night and once again clocked up a few invaluable miles but i would be lying if every minute of every shift there wasn’t at least a passing thought wondering if and when conditions would change...but still nothing. Ho hum tomorrow was another day and may be just may be our luck would change.
Fishing update: Tom has now had the line out for about 3 or 4 days and hasn’t even had a nibble – his latest excuse is that we’re not going fast enough for the rubber chicken to come in to his own...mmm whatever Tom Tom.
Special announcements:
Congratulations to Tim (Matt’s brother) and Rita Hampel on news they are expecting their second child. Also in answer to your question Tim about ‘whether this rowing is as hard as a spin class’, my answer would be almost certainly no – if only because i would imagine being surrounded by a room full of lycra clad ladies would be torturous...which i assume is the only reason you go to such classes.
Congratulations also to Chris and Katie Fussell who are expecting their first child, and to Chris Way and Hal on the birth of Matilda and Julian Hay who is also expecting his first (I just pray he/she doesn’t inherit your mullet).
Belated happy birthday to Kazza and to my god daughter...who is yet to actually meet her god father!
Our thoughts go out to Mike Crowley who we are told has gone in to hospital for an operation – Mike all the best mate and hope you make a speedy recovery.
Big hello to all the teachers out there who are following our progress with their respective classes/schools – in particular Cam Howell, Brums, Dom and all those at the Waiwera School.
