Dear American Pearl Supporter:

Last October, when Louise Graff and I stepped off the plane that brought us home from the Canary Islands, I carried in my hand an American Flag. I carried in my heart the dream of returning to the Atlantic to finish what we’d started. In the airport, I promised friends and reporters that the dream was not dead and that the American flag would fly once more over the American Pearl.

In early December I received a message from the Ocean Rowing Society, in England, saying that Sector Sports Watches, a European company, was interested in sponsoring the first woman to row solo across an ocean. The Ocean Rowing Society recommended me to Sector and proposed that I undertake, the Canary Islands to Barbados route. Ultimately, this proposal was eclipsed by that of a French woman, Peggy Bouchet, whom Sector agreed to sponsor for the island to island East to West crossing. Peggy will leave this March and, if successful, will become the first woman to row solo across an ocean.

The Ocean Rowing Society and Sector made a counter-proposal to me. If I was willing to attempt the more hazardous West to East route, Sector would sponsor it. This row would be from the United States to France: continent to continent. According to the Ocean Rowing Society, only five people have soloed the North Atlantic. All five were men: three were British, two were French. Only the two Frenchmen rowed from continent to continent. No American has done it. No woman has done it. Two weeks ago, at Sector’s invitation, I traveled to Paris to discuss the idea.

The safest weather for a West to East crossing runs from late May to early September. In the meeting with Sector, I proposed to launch from Washington, DC, on or near May 9, 1998. Between Washington and Norfolk, VA, the plan is for me to row with friends. This would serve as a shakedown cruise for the boat and a training run for me. I stipulated that I would like to attend a commencement ceremony, in Louisville, on June 3. With this peg in the calendar, I proposed to begin my solo row from Norfolk, VA, on or near June 6, 1998. Leaving early June, I could anticipate making landfall in Europe sometime mid-September.

[Note: May 21, 1998. The place of departure has been changed to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Target dates June 6-12.]

There were several trade-offs. While no rower has ever been killed on the warmer East to West route, several have been lost on the West to East route. I will be using the American Pearl which was designed to carry two rowers. This means I will not be setting any speed records. On the other hand, Sector agreed to furnish the boat with every piece of safety equipment I requested and went so far as to suggest additional safety gear. While the American Pearl is larger and heavier than necessary for a single rower, its egg-crate design with twenty water-tight compartments is well proven. In Paris, Sector and I reached an agreement. If there are no major set-backs, I will leave in a little less than ten weeks.

There are a few details to work out before Sector and I will be ready to make this news "public." In the meantime, I want you to know that the dream and the flag are still with me.

As ever,

Tori