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October 14
The rain stopped and this turned out to be a very good day for rowing.
Unlike the swells of the last week most of the waves today were coming from
the same direction, from the east or northeast. This greatly improved the
rowing. In addition to this, the swells were relatively small: eight to
ten feet. With small-organized seas, I could really move the boat.
I spoke with Christophe Hebert at 13:00 GMT. I was in a good mood. So,
when he recommended I consider landing in Guadeloupe instead of Martinique
or Barbados, I agreed to consider it.
Barbados offers the shortest course Altering my course does not mean that Diana Hoff should change hers. Diana is out here with a plan to finish in Barbados. Occasionally, it galls me to hear that a few miles back the seas are calm and the weather clear but, she is rowing across the Atlantic. Diana may not be ahead of me (today), but she is on the ocean in a rowboat and this places her ahead of those who are observing from the shore.
October 15
The weather today is not good for rowing. The wind has increased: 25-30
knots and the seas are big enough (12 -15 feet) that the waves often block
the wind. Rowing is very difficult. I do it out of habit now, I think. I
no longer fear capsizing in these waves. The Pearl and I are fine in this
respect. I worry about breaking an oar. Every few minutes one wave or
another knocks the boat down hard to one side or another and the oar handle
either hits me or the gunwale very hard. My instinct for self-preservation
is improving, the oar hits me less often and the gunwale more often. I am
softer than the gunwale.
Having re-consulted my maps I find that if I enter "Point-A-Pitre" instead
of "Basse-Terre" as my port in Guadeloupe, it is not that much farther than
Martinique. I will aim for Guadeloupe. This does not mean I will LAND in
Guadeloupe, but that I will do my best to judge winds and currents to place
myself in a location where I will be likely to reach Guadeloupe in a boat
with an average rowing speed of two knots-if you get my drift.
As ever,
Tori
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