23 Feb 2006
Roz with 9Bar by Wholebake - still some left after flapjack all eaten up.
23rd Feb.
I have been asking myself the question: What would Roz want me to write about? There are probably quite a few things that she would not want me to write about - family anecdotes that would make her blush. Perhaps it would be safer to stick to questions that people ask. Amongst quite a number of messages today, somebody asked whether Roz would still have enough food left on her boat.
Initially each rowing crew was asked to take enough food for 90 days. She did, in theory, have more than enough, and even gave away some while we were in La Gomera. Roz is really really hoping that she can complete the crossing in less than 100 days. However, I think the answer is yes, she does have enough - though probably not the things that she would choose to eat. There were days when she found it very difficult to eat anything much; she had plenty of sachets of oat porridge with her, but with the stove not functioning she has only used a few of those. If really desperate can a person eat "uncooked" oat porridge? She also had some expedition meals that she did not fancy eating, but which we stowed away in a hatch difficult to get to under her mattress, just in case of real emergency.
Another question was how did I feel after watching Ben Fogle and James Cracknell on TV? There were times when Roz phoned me in desperation (just a couple of times), obviously in tears, and hating it in the same way that Ben and James did. She did write about this in one of her dispatches. Watching the two men made me realise just what she must have gone through, and how helpless I felt at the time to say or do anything to help her. I am thankful that she was not thrown off the boat as Ben was; thankful that, being on her own, the cabin was not quite so crowded when the weather was bad. Hard though Ben and James might have found it to row that distance, Roz has had to row every mile herself. Though I say it myself, I am proud of her tenacity, and her ingenuity in repairing those oars. I shall be mighty glad to give her a big hug!!
Thank you to those who have been sending messages. I have in the past tried to answer them individually but there have been a larger number just recently. Lovely to hear from you all, and apologies for not being Roz!
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21 Feb 2006
Food boxes just visible in forecabin and red hatch cover in foreground.
21st Feb.
One of the Woodvale support yachts is due to set off soon, and when near enough to Roz will attempt to speak to her by radio. The staff are very confident that all is well, and surprised that the satphone stayed in working order as long as it did!
In September I stayed with Roz in Emsworth to help her prepare for The Voyage. This involved practical jobs on the boat as well as sorting out medical kit, food packages and other administrative tasks.
Roz had planned to pack the food in plastic crates, each one containing enough food for 2 weeks. The crates would be stored in the forward storage compartment, and one by one would be moved to the cabin when needed. All of that was carried out before the boat left to be conveyed by container ship to La Gomera.
Once at La Gomera she was advised to put as much weight as possible below the deck to provide stability in case of capsize. Crates were discarded and I packed the food packages through the round red hatch openings on the deck. Snacks went into a hatch in the sleeping cabin. Looking back on events at sea, it is a good thing that the weight was below deck level. I had tried to pack the packages in such a way that each fortnight’s food was a distinctive layer. I will be asking her all sorts of questions when we meet again, about whether things worked out as expected. What follows is the contents list of one of the food boxes as originally prepared. The first part lists the freeze-dried foods. In addition to this list, she had the chickpeas and aduki beans for sprouting.
Bags:
Sweetcorn 1 Peas 2 Omelette 2 Red pepper 1 Olives 1
Chicken 2 Prawns 3 Ham 1 Red kidney beans 2
Cod dinner 3 Chilli dinner 2 Beef dinner 1 Bacon 1
Cranberry 1 Blackberry 1 Cherries 1 Oats 14 sachets
Bag muesli 1 Powdered milk 1
Snacks: Flapjack 14 Biltong 10 Raisins/sultanas 1
Crystallised ginger 1bag Chocolate treats 1bag
Baby figs 1bag Banana chips 1bag
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20 Feb 2006
Monty at Southborough School
20th Feb.
Once again my grateful thanks to those who have sent encouraging messages today. Still no news of Roz. Probably we will need to wait until she arrives in Antigua.
It seems quite extraordinary that today I have received messages from three schools where the pupils are following Roz' voyage on the internet. We did know about Southborough Junior School in Hampshire, because they have sent Monty their mascot along with Roz on her boat. They have met Roz, supported her with a fund-raising cake sale, and have sent messages before. Then I received a message from the Island Academy in Antigua, and pupils there are hoping that Roz will arrive during school hours so that they can go to the harbour to welcome her in.
The third one was from Diane, Roz' cousin, who is a teacher at Eldwick Primary School in Yorkshire. She says that pupils and staff are following Roz' track and are all very proud of her. I wonder whether any pupils will be inspired to tackle something adventurous in their lives? I have already had messages from two female rowers who seem to be thinking of rowing across the Atlantic - solo, I wonder? Whatever will their mothers think! My advice: take plenty of duck tape and make sure your satphone keeps working.
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19 Feb 2006
19 Feb
Still no word from Roz, but the website shows that she did 39 miles yesterday and has reduced her distance still to go to 615 miles by 7.45pm (GMT) today, Sunday.
Last Wednesday when Roz did her dispatch she mentioned that her satphone can only hold 29 text messages. As we presume that the satphone is not working, there really is no point in trying to send her a text message. If or when it gets sorted out she or I will let you know! Grateful thanks to those who have sent me supportive messages through email via Roz’ home page.
It seems that communications are generally giving problems! The server for Roz’ home page of her website has not been functioning as it should. Therefore I am putting the details of her welcome home party here:
SOLO ATLANTIC ROWER ROZ SAVAGE
invites you to help celebrate her finishing The Atlantic Rowing Race
Thursday, March 23, 2006, 6.30-10pm, Drinks & Canapés
By kind permission of the Commanding Officer at The Royal Naval Reserve Unit
HMS PRESIDENT near Tower Bridge in London.
Featuring a Charity Auction in aid of The Princes Trust.
Tickets £50.00, payable to The Voyage, either via PayPal on www.rozsavage.com
or by cheque sent c/o Rita Savage, 170 Tinshill Road, Leeds, LS16 7PN
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