|
|
November 9
The weather is a little better today. There was only one small shower and
the swells were non-existent, two to four feet high. The wind continued to
be from the southeast quarter. However, there was enough east-southeast to
balance the south-southeast to allow me to make respectable progress to the
west. I saw a butterfly today. Its wingspan was about two inches. The
wings were orange with black trim. I'd say it was a Monarch Butterfly, but
I know little about butterflies. I took it to be a good sign.
November 10
The water became rough again overnight. I rowed all morning in a pouring
rain through six and eight foot swells. The seas are a jumble. One wave
knocked me off of my seat (not the water just the force of the wave hitting
the side of the boat). This led me to fill my second ballast tank. Rowing
with both ballast tanks full slows the boat dramatically. But, without the
extra weight to sink the boat into the waves, it leaps from swell to swell
like a bucking horse. With full ballast tanks rowing is hard, without them
full I cannot maintain enough balance to get the oars in the water.
My seat is terrific. It is a Barretta Rowing Seat. I like it very much.
It is manufactured out of a hard rubber that is quite comfortable and
extremely durable. I have not had one blister on my backside. I attribute
this not only to having a great seat, but also to liberal applications of
"Dr. Ogden's Butt Balm" on tender spots. For those not raised in
Louisville, Kentucky, Dr. Ogden's Butt Balm is diaper-rash cream. The base
of this ointment is Zinc Oxide. I've used it on sunburned areas like my
nose and the backs of my hands when needed.
It occurs to me that rowing across the ocean has something in common with
going to Law School. It has been said that one need not be smart to attend
Law School, one need only have an "iron butt." The same can be said of
ocean rowing.
Dane Clark reports that the wind may turn to be a little more from the east
and even the northeast later today or tomorrow. If this happens, I will
haul oars toward the south. I need to move about 50 miles to the south
before I reach 60 degrees west, if I am to have a good line from which to
approach Guadeloupe. Going south against winds from the south may be the
greatest challenge in the trip. Fortunately, my dagger board helps me to
hold my course, but like the ballast tanks it slows me down by increasing
the drag. More than ever I want to go fast, but patience must rule a
little longer.
|
|