Ocean Date 6th & 7th March 2010

Progress West continues, the winds are South East now, so we are rowing almost across them to get close to the course we want and avoid being pushed North.

Progress West continues, the winds are South East now, so we are rowing almost across them to get close to the course we want and avoid being pushed North. A nice North East or Easterly breeze would suit us well at this point! On Friday afternoon James unfortunately tweeked a muscle in his back. It was too hot to be in the cabin and he was sat on the second rowing position during his rest time. There is no back support and with the movement of the boat he has strained something in his mid back just below the shoulder blades. James has been able to do some ‘careful’ rowing and had some extra rest Saturday and Sunday morning. Hopefully it will continue to improve, other wise there is more rowing for Norman!

A number of people have kindly asked how Norman’s hand is doing. It is several weeks ago that this started to become a problem, with painful knuckle joints on the left hand. Several people have made good suggestions of practical things to help to ease it, also a number of people have told us they are praying for it to improve. Note to Richard, Birmingham and Lydia’s group Sheffield, it is improving and not as sore as a week ago when it was an effort to start rowing. Now it only takes a few strokes for my hand and me to get over the shock!

Sunday 7th – Mid Atlantic 5.30am rush hour. The AIS indicated a ship on a parallel course to us at 5.30am, we were traveling West, the other vessel East. It was a comfortable passing distance of 2 nautical miles. Immediately its navigation lights disappeared a new AIS contact sounded for a vessel which would pass a stern of us. It wasn’t dangerous, but a reasonable close passing of two ships in the night! Amazing that with so much water 3 boats all passed so close to one another within a 45 minute period. If we do this again we’ll remember to leave more time to miss the traffic at this point!

We are both feeling tired from the missed sleep we usually were able to snatch in the afternoon. The cabin is as hot as a sauna in the afternoon, with no stern hatch open, it is not a happy place to get 40 winks! We hope we return to a situation where we can use the cabin to sleep in during the afternoons shortly. Overnight the wind has been from the South and continues from this direction today, resulting in more rowing ‘across the grain.’ Not much speed for us and with James’s sore back very uncomfortable for him. Both feeling a bit low, digging deep, taking encouragement from messages sent via race website. Also verses from Joshua, ‘be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go’. Very much taking a day at a time.

Hoots of Praise – thanks for messages from Janet Sullivan and family, Phil and Helen Glennon, interest and support from Bobbin Lace Group, Coleraine, that Grandma Morrow goes to, also thanks for following our progress and for your support to the Probus Group, Highcliffe that Grandma Beech goes to. Sticker of Noah the Bear still safe in the cabin Mike! Makes us smile as we pass him on our way out the hatch door – thanks for letting us have that, also enjoying Cobbler’s Monday tracks from the iPod!