Wanted to share this video by Kelly Saxberg about our recent Big Blue row.
Angela Madsen, Guinness World Record Holder, Ocean Rower, Motivational Speaker, Adaptive Rower, Rowing Coach, Paralympian, Adventurer!
My second rowing crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
By Angela Madsen 2011
I always say Situation and circumstance should never be allowed to dictate who we are and what we will be able to achieve in our lifetime. Allowing situation and circumstance to oppress us is a choice. I dream big and set goals for myself realizing possibilities and potential for success, being hopeful and willing to do what is necessary to achieve those goals. When I first learned of the sport of Ocean Rowing I was drawn to it. I knew I was going to row an ocean. I did not allow the situation of being a woman and a paraplegic stop me. I just had to work harder and work differently to achieve my goals.
This was the First Ocean Rowing Catamaran with crew of 16 to row 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to break the Atlantic world rowing record. It was my second time to row across the Atlantic non stop and unsupported. I rowed with Franck Festor, a single amputee from France in 2007. Highlights of all of my adventures can be found on my website http://www.rowoflife.com
My becoming involved with the Big Blue project and crew was the result of taking a visually impaired rower from Canada, Franck Polari, ocean rowing in one of my introduction to ocean rowing classes at the Long Beach Rowing Association. It is not advertised any place, people generally contact me via e-mail interested in trying the sport. I took him out on a coastal row from Long Beach to Dana Point. His Sea Sickness changed his mind about ocean rowing. The project that he was part of had lost their skipper so he told them about me. I began receiving e-mails from Steve asking me to skipper their boat. I looked at what horrible financial shape I am in from ocean rowing without sponsors, gave much thought to my solo ocean rowing project and decided what the Hell! First thing was to jump right in and organize sea trials for the project. To make sure it happened as this crew had been let down and abandoned before. They were not prepared, much of the critical information they needed to ensure success of their project was missing. I signed on late in the game with some big challenges ahead. We started a Google group and a mass of e-mail correspondence began. I organized a sea trial and some sea survival training for the crew on Shelter Island New York. I traveled there and met the crew and David for the first time. After sea trials I returned to Long Beach. David worked frantically to prepare the boat and make arrangements to ship the boat. I continued preparing the crew and myself for the crossing.
Deb and I left for Morocco the day before Christmas. We changed planes to a Royal Air Moroc flight at JFK bound for Agadir. We were boarded on the plane and everything was going well. Then it began snowing and they took us off the airplane. They refused to bring me my wheelchair. I sat on the plane till the last possible minute even breaking down in tears begging them to bring me my own wheelchair but they would not. They forced me into one of the airport chairs and the worker commented after much protest as I began to comply and surrender “now that’s a good girl” It was miserable. Airport wheelchairs are not made to be self ambulatory and don’t work well even when pushed. They kept moving us from terminal to terminal and jerking us around. Everyone was upset and it nearly broke out into a riot many times through out the ordeal. Eventually they got us on the plane and on our way. We arrived at our final destination however my wheelchair did not.
In Morocco while preparing the boat and food I opened my box to find rats had ravaged it and I had lost 20 days of my food supply. I lost forty meals at about $5.00 a pop. Liz lost about six meals. I was so angry I had to go outside the gate of the boat yard and let out a big yell. What a waste. Deb and I paid a great deal of money to have a space big enough to sort the food at the house but the authorities would not allow us to move food from the boat to the house so our grand plan was offended and extra costs incurred to us by customs and port authorities. Expedition food is not replaceable in Morocco.
They clearly did not see past our pocketbooks and into the future where ocean rowers can contribute greatly to their economy. It would be better for them in the long run to welcome us and ensure our safety and success of our rowing projects. There are other places in the world to row from. I know I do not want to go back there. Cabbies did not want to give me rides and wanted to charge me more money. I had to use cabs because I could not possibly push the airport loaner chair where I needed to go. One of the days I had to take a cab by myself so one of our French speaking crew negotiated my cost with the driver and I got in the cab. My crew loaded the wheelchair on the cab and Deb was to unload it on the other end. It was not to cost me more money. He drove just out of eyesight and earshot of my crew, he pulled the cab over and I was terrified. I thought I was going to have to fight off a rapist but instead he just made me give him all the money I had in my hand and then he drove me to the house. Had I refused he probably would have pushed me out of the cab and drove off with the wheelchair. It sucks being victimized. The ride that was supposed to be 10 rnb (8 rnb with 2 rnb for tip) cost me 60. I had been robbed! I quit going in cabs after that. I just walked with my crew. The negative symptoms of life without my own personal wheelchair had become evident with more back, shoulder and wrist pain. The crew tried to help me out as much as possible and did not mind pushing me around nearly as much as I did. We would leave the boathouse at dark so avoiding all of the obstacles became more difficult. Abrupt stopping when hitting an obstacle nearly injured the person pushing me and nearly ejected me from the wheelchair numerous times. The wheelchair footplates kept falling off and the wheel had fallen off once. It was quite risky and dangerous to contend with before the crossing. I am always reminded that most of the time it is far more difficult just getting to the starting line than it is to row across.
To balance out the bad with the good I had contacted one of my friends from the Moroccan National Adaptive Rowing team Kalifa Monume. He drove down from Sale Morocco with his uncle and one of his friends. We had quite a memorable pre row party. They were there to help us put the boat in the water. It was great to see him again. Once the boat was in the water we rowed it around to the marina in Agadir where we would load it with our food and personal kit and then wait for the right weather to leave.
We got underway the next morning at first light. It wasn’t long before one of the members of our crew became violently ill. Food poisoning was suspect. I too had contracted some kind of viral infection that combined with stress and physical exertion triggered my myasthenia Gravis. Myasthenia gravis is an auto immune disease that is ocular or affects the muscles in the eyes. I have bouts of temporary blindness or double vision. The eyes will cross or eye lids droop or not open at all. The crew may have been concerned about it at first but then saw that I could manage rowing and getting around on the boat without my vision. We had to change our route and head down the coast to Tarfya, Morocco. We then called the Ocean Rowing Society and changed our port of record departure to Tarfya. We had some medical tests done and spoke with a medic there about Tom. He seemed to have recovered enough to continue. My physical condition had improved also and I was managing my Myasthenia with medication. When the tide came up at 7:25 PM we resumed our row.
The NE wind and weather kept us from going west and we found ourselves going SW down the coast a bit before the winds changed and we could finally go west. The winds did not favor us on this trip and I almost always find myself rowing against the wind. We had some 30-35 knot winds and made over 106 miles in one day. If that would have continued we would have had a chance at the record but that was only one day. The rest of the days we averaged about 65-70.
We had a solar water boiler made by the students of an engineering class at Cal State Los Angeles. The instructor Sam Landsberger was a contact I had made at the Abilities Expo in LA. I had tested it at the dock and found it to be working but it had stopped working when we were at sea. We just assumed that it was the wind that prevented it from heating up. Wind was not blowing at the dock. We set it aside and forgot about it till our fuel shortage made it necessary to try and repair the boiler. The intake pump was broken and not sealing so it did not have the suction to move the water and there was a blockage not letting the full amount of water to release from the boiler. I was able to clear the blockage and David fixed the pump for me. After that it worked great. The solar water boiler allowed us to heat water without using the precious little stove fuel we had left. I also built a solar oven out of a dry bag, and an emergency blanket. The solar boiler only makes enough water to rehydrate two meals at a time. This solar oven allowed us to keep the meals warm whilst waiting for the other meals to rehydrate. I also experimented with food in the last week as we had run out of regular rations. I made some pizzas from assorted left over bits in the solar oven that were pretty tasty. With the exception of 50 cliff bars there was not one scrap of food left when we got to port. Everyone had snack packs through the last day. We began rationing regular meals at 7 days out, cutting one meal and having breakfast and whatever meal pack happened to be pulled for the day, a lunch or a dinner. The Sat phone battery charging port broke on the satellite phone so I also had to fabricate an external Sat Phone battery charger. Debs called Iridium and found out what contacts were positive and what ones were negative. Then I cut the plug off and David and I put some wire connecters on the ends of the wire. I then used a piece of plastic and a rubber band to keep the connecters against the contact points. Is all about finding solutions!
On the ocean there are amazing sunrises and sun sets, there are panoramic ocean views, sky can be brilliantly specked with stars or can be so dark and cloud covered you cannot see your hand in front of your face. Extreme gratitude is what you feel when you get any amount of light to see at night. There is only a certain amount of serenity at night as it is mostly tempered with anxiety as the walls of water that are crashing down on you are highly anticipated yet invisible in the darkness. There is no way of knowing when, where or how, just that it will repeatedly beat you and knock you off your seat till you change watch. It can feel like the longest 2 hours of your life. See it coming or not, it will still knock you off your seat. Being that low to the water everyone gets soaked and everyone gets pelted with flying fish. There are fish around the boat constantly. Dolphins, whales, Dorado, tuna, sea turtles, sharks, jelly fish, even saw a few Portuguese man of war on this one. We witnessed nature, the food chain or big fish eat little fish many times when the Dorado would hunt the flying fish and the shark would then hunt the Dorado. We nearly participated by trying to catch a wounded Dorado that was swimming at the back of our boat for protection from the shark that had injured it. We thought it much too risky since the shark was following closely waiting for the kill and the inevitable demise of that beautiful fish.
When the sky has shades of magenta in it at sunset the reflection of the water will be like a liquid silver and when it is yellowish the water looks like molten gold. You are like the wind and the water, always moving. The water changes color and salinity or level of salt content changes and with it changes the smell of the sea. There is no smell of land, no pollution, only humidity. Even the water you drink is desalinated ocean water with no chemicals or chlorine in it. I look out over the ocean and at the GPS and think how privileged I am to be able to be at this place and at this time where no human being has been or may ever be again and I am thankful for my life! Then back to reality, a piece of plastic trash floats by and I am, once again, disgusted by the human race.
We rowed into port in Port St. Charles Barbados 47 days later to our awaiting friends and families. Barbados is amazing and the people there are extremely hospitable and courteous. The specialty at most restaurants is flying fish. I was surprised to find out how tasty they are.
Deb went to the Veterans hospital and got a better loaner chair for me to use in Barbados. Much better than an airport chair and I was grateful to have it but again, not my personal wheelchair. When I got home to Long Beach I discovered that it would not go through my bathroom doorway so I called Ernie at Colours Wheelchair and they set up a chair for me that will do the job till I get my new custom wheelchair. Colours Wheelchair saves the day! Royal Air Moroc and JFK are still not responding and my wheelchair is still missing.
Angela Madsen,
Website http://www.rowoflife.com
E-mail Msparasurfer@aol.com
(562)434-8334 cell (562)505-4157
2011 03 02 ETA of Big Blue in Port St. Charles-update 1
I spoke with Angela tonight about 7pm. She said they had 68.8 nautical miles to go (that is nearly 80 reg miles) to the North Point finish line. They have done about 70 miles a day, but have slowed down a bit. My bestGUESS at this point is between 10p, and Midnight Thursday night/Friday morning. I will be updating tomorrow throughout the day. After they cross the North Point, it should take about 2 hours to get to Port St. Charles.
2011 02 27?Mini Blogs From Several Days by Aleksa
Via Brother (Tomas) Report on Facebook
2/21/11--Brother Report: This is from Aleksa: ?Very special thanks to friends and family for all the texts today! Total morale boost while trying to deal with these ridiculous sores! Love you all!?
2/23/11?Brother Report: Aleksa has been rocking the Captain Underpants look for over a month now. And she wants everyone to keep texting her! ?Everyday (sic) the messages are like Christmas!?
2/24/11?Brother Report: Aleksa says unto me: ?Enjoying possibly one of the only times in my life where I?ll see so many stars so far away from any light. So many that the Milky Way blends in! Things like this make all the hard parts worth it. Wish everyone back home could be here to see what a truly amazing world we live in J. Song of the night:Find Yourself?
2/25/11?Brother Report: Aleksa has decided to name her bum sore, Petunia. Petunia apparently going to be partying like a rock star for the next 5 to 6 days. The sheepskin butt pad also went overboard. ?Fail.?
2/17/11?Brother Report: ?The water is warmer, the dorados are friendlier, and the dolphins are back! Less than 350 miles to go! PS: Excited to come home!? 9 days until return to USA.
2011 02 26 TV Spot About Charlie
Via Kelly Saxberg
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2011 02 23 Clif bars don?t dry & The Trough by Angela
Via Sat Phone to Deb
First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY TO STEVE! The celebrations have started and I will update on those later today. It did start with the traditional flares. Angela said she took some great pics of Steve and Nigel with the flares. She made Steve an apple brown Betty for breakfast and a HOT cup of coffee. They have been using the solar boiler for heating water and it does not heat the water hot, only warm. She pulled the stove out and heated water for Steve?s Birthday coffee.
There is plenty of food, but just not, what they are used to. Now they are eating at the ?Trough?. Angela prefers ?eating family style? but they keep correcting her. The expedition meals are two or four servings. They were eating their own packages, but now they are sharing these meals. Angela makes them and passes them out to each watch, then they dip into the trough. Angela tried to dry out Clif Bars to make into ?cereal?, for 2 days Angela tried to get the Clif bar pieces to dry without success. They have moved on to eating desert for breakfast. Angela says they have lots of snack pack food, 75 foil packs of tuna. 250 drink mixes, 75 Emergen C packets and about 75 vitamin drink packets. They have about 5 days worth of food and 3 days worth of emergency food.
Everyone is getting along well. Angela put up her UN flag to fly on the boat to honor the spirit of cooperation. She has flown that flag on every Ocean Rowing trip on which she has been. The flag was presented to her by the UN for her first trip on RowofLife with Franck. It represented two people from two different nations, two different languages, two different disabilities, two different lives, coming together to get one job done.
Everyone is excited that the winds are behind them again. They were moving at 2.5 knots yesterday and today they are moving at 3.5-4knots. Morale is excellent now that the boat is moving quickly and the end is in sight. They have passed the 50-degree longitude line! The Port St Charles Marina is at Longitude 59 38? 41.08?. Tarfaya is at longitude 12 55? 48?. Therefore, they have travelled 38 longitude lines with 9 more to go.
Deb
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2011 02 22 Mini Blog from Sylvainvia Suzanne on Facebook
Great Sat Phone call from Sylvain this morning! Last week's low replaced today by a super positive energy...his back pain has called down(thanks Ryan for Technical Support :-), his weight has stabilized and they are hoping for the NE winds to pick up and carry them to Barbados by the 2nd or 3rd of March. We're off to Barbados to welcome the crew home....the light at the end of the tunnel is growing!!
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2011 02 22 Audio Blog by MargaretVia www.margaretbowling.wordpress.com
Audio Blog by MargaretClick above
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2011 02 22 Newspaper Article About Louise
Thanks to the Post and Courier in Charleston, SC for the great article from Feb 19, 2011http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/feb/19/graff-part-of-crew-crossing-atlantic/
20ll 02 20 Charlie's Newspaper Articlevia email from Kevin Parkinson
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2011 02 19 Liz?s Birthday Bash by Angela
Via Sat Phone to Deb
Angela wanted to let people know that Liz was honored with a Birthday Celebration. It started at midnight with an ocean rowing tradition, lighting a flare and singing happy birthday. They made her a ?cake? out of mini snickers bars. In the morning, whilst all the crew was eating the same cereal they have been eating for 35days, Liz received an Apple Brown Betty for breakfast. Later the crew gave her a no bake cookie and gifts from their snack packs?precious at this point in the row. Aleksa made Lei out of trash-strung carefully and gave it to Liz.
Her meal was gourmet and served on a real plate. Liz was excited to eat with a fork from a real plate, instead of the bag with a spoon. Angela said she took care and carefully separated out potatoes and vegetables on the plate. She plated the chicken and drizzled gravy on the potatoes and chicken.
I told Angela to tell Liz that I sent some of her messages after ?Meal and Message? time, so she should not feel forgotten. Angela said she would get them tomorrow.
As for the boat?.They are moving a bit slower, due to the change of weather. Angela says everything else is pretty much the same. Rowing, Sleeping, Eating less, Rowing??. Barbados is just over the horizon.
2011 02 18 Messages, Barnacles, Silence, Fish, Rotting Flesh &-1000 by Angela
Via 3 Sat Phone Conversations w/Deb
Angela says that the crew enjoys getting their messages. They have a new practice on the Big Blue?instead of Dinner and a Movie they get a Meal and Messages. One watch is on at 2pm and the other at 4pm. They sit around, eat, and share messages. So keep posting the 160 character messages to the guestbook at www.BigBlueRow.com. There is a little delay as I send the shortened messages to the Sat Phone and then approve them so they show up on the guest book.
A few days ago, they decided they ought to check the bottom of the boat for Barnacles. It doesn?t sound like a big thing, but it does seriously slow down the boat. Usually a couple of times while crossing the Atlantic, it is necessary to jump in the water and physically scrape off the bottom of the boat. In RowofLife, Angela taped her camera to an oar so she could look at the bottom and surrounding area for sharks. RowofLife?s anti-fouling paint was from France, where I don?t think there are as many environmental restrictions. Very few barnacles successfully attached to the bottom of RowofLife. Big Blue is from the US and its paint fouled far fewer barnacles. Angela said she could feel the difference in how the boat moved through the water after they barnacle scrapping.
Running out of ways to find their Zen?.several of the boys committed to 24 hours of silence. Angela thought it sounded like a fun plan, until without their silent partners to speak with, the talking rowers found that it was their turn to complain. Angela said she received more complaints in that 24-hour period than at any other time on the trip. Angela was happy when the silence was over for the boys.
I was talking to Angela on the sat phone when all of the sudden, all I could hear was Angela, screaming like a GIRL! Then the phone hung up. An hour or so later I got the call back with the explanation. Angela was sitting on her bunk, all ready to go to bed, when she called me. Her bunk is just next to the cabin door. When I ?Giant? flying fish flew through the cabin door and landed on Angela?s bed. She was so sad that her clean bed now was slimy and smelled like fish.
Another flying fish note?.There was a terrible smell on the boat. For several days, Angela was trying to figure out where it was coming from and what it was. More and more determined to get the smell to go away, she started tearing apart things looking for the smell. A flying fish lodged itself under the life raft tied to the front of the boat. Now that the fish is gone, they are back to the familiar, dirty, rotting flesh smell.
Speaking of rotting flesh, Aleksa spoke to me on the phone and described her body as a Dermatological disaster. She says she has amazing sores all over her body. I packed the big bottle of Antibiotic powder.
Big Blue has less than 1000 miles to go. They should be in Port St. Charles, Barbados March 1, 2011 (maybe the 2nd). Friends and families are making their plans to greet the crew in Barbados. There is a webcam at the Marina, so if you are not able to make it to Barbados, you can watch the arrival on the webcam. http://portstcharles.com/webcam_window.php?cam=3
2011 02 17-- Aleksa Mini Blog
via Brother Tomas on Facebook
Brother Report: Aleksa would like everyone to know she successfully celebrated Vasario 16ta in the middle of Atlantic! She and the rest of the crew are also now limited to one meal a day to make their food last until they get home. Estimated date of arrival in Barbados: March 1st, 2011. She appreciates everyone?s thoughts are her!
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N2jgsSVF_FQ/TV8o7_A3KZI/AAAAAAAAB3A/cT-hBewiPy0/s320/20110111%2528265%2529.JPG 2011 02 18 I'm Hungry..Audio Blog by Margaret
via margaretbowling.wordpress.com
http://margaretbowling.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/audio-post-10/
2011 02 15 Food Inventory by Angela
Via Sat Phone to Deb
Angela inventoried the food on board Big Blue. They have about 2 weeks left to go. She says they have plenty of breakfast for the remainder of the trip, 225 main meals, about 50 packets of chicken, tuna and salmon, and 93 deserts. Everyone has snack packs ranging from 13 to 21 per person left. She assures me they have plenty of food. They are eating a breakfast, a main meal and a snack pack a day until the end of the trip.
Families are working on travel arrangements to Barbados. Excitement is in the air as the journey?s end is in sight!
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2011 02 13 Aleksa Mini Blog
Via Brother on Facebook
Brother Report: Aleksa says they must be rowing towards the Bering Sea because of how cold it is. Also, they discovered a mystery poop in the middle of the cabin. Furthermore, it seems Ryan has snapped and is walking around in a loincloth, and the crew calls him 'Baloo'. Deb, I think the mystery poop part can be excluded from the blog.
Debra Bogan Moeller That's the best part! Especially since the toilet is no where close to the cabin. Interesting....
2011 02 13 Audio Blog By Margaret
Via margaretbowling.wordpress.com
http://margaretbowling.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/audio-post-9/
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2011 02 13 Sylvain Mini Blog
Via Suzanne on Facebook
telephone call from Sylvain 2 days ago (thanks Angela aka MacGyver for creating an external charger for the sat phone!)...some rowers dealing with injuries (to be expected after such arduous conditions and SO much rowing), waves still gigantic, flooding the hatches and waterlogging some of the...
Angela told me the waves are amazing. The waves are 5-6 meters (~15-18 feet). They are surfing the waves with the boat and not rowing. They are getting boat speeds of 13-15 knots. They had the first wave go over the top of the boat.
Nigel is the current leader of the "person on the potty when the boat speed was the greatest". She said the boat was going 17 while he was on the potty. Take that man to a mechanical bull contest with a big purse.
All for now! Deb
Sent from my iPhone
2011 02 11-½ way mark, Leaky Hatches, Sat Phone Charging by Angela
Via Sat Phone to Deb
Big Blue is half way to Barbados. They are continuing to move at a great pace, covering nearly 90 miles each day. At this rate, they should be in Barbados by March 1st.
Angela has successfully built an external charger for her Satellite phone batteries. The Iridium FAQ guys were instrumental in the success. They were able to send me info on the batteries and the phone so Angela could build a charger that works. They tried stuff out at their shop. They took pictures of the set up and drawings of the battery with a key to the connectors. Their mock up called for wires to be taped to the connectors at the bottom of the phone. It worked but the taped wire became separated from the connectors because of the constant movement of the boat. Angela was able to make a charger the battery was able to slide into and make connection with the contacts. She will keep them on the charger for 2 hours then take them off after her rowing shift. This means starting tomorrow, I can begin sending the 160 character messages from family, friends and the Guestbook to the boat again.
The deck hatches have been leaking. Steve has made gaskets/seals for the hatches out of Ziploc bags. He also has been pumping the water out of the deck hatches. They have one trash hatch, but it is getting full. Angela says that hatch is very smelly. They don?t throw anything overboard on purpose, as they want to be kind to the ocean. That being said, people continue to lose things overboard because some of the crew have difficulty remembering to tether things to the boat. Luckily, the crew is remembering to clip themselves to the boat. The Dakine coiled paddleboard leashes are working great when the seas are calm.
Deb
2011 02 10?Angela Reports In
Via Sat Phone to Deb
Today?s fun on the boat?.African Day. Louise gave Angela something (ya know, you don?t always get clear details on the Sat Phone) and Angela made a hat that looked tribal. She matched that up with her tech towel and paraded around the boat. Not to be outdone, Ryan decided that he would participate in African Day by parading around in a loincloth. Hum?.I guess after being out on the ocean for 25 days they are starved for entertainment. The other entertainment people have engaged in is writing on the boat with markers and now Big Blue looks like a graffiti canvas.
Angela says everyone has about 20 days of snack packs left and feels they will have plenty of food to make it to Barbados. Angela has worked on the solar water boiler and has gotten it to work again. Apparently, a blockage was not letting the full amount of water release from the boiler. Angela was able to clear the blockage and fix the pump and it is providing water for rehydrating meals. The solar water boiler allows them to heat water without using the precious little stove fuel they have left. She has also built a solar oven out of a dry bag, and an emergency blanket. This allows her to keep the meals warm whilst waiting for the other meals to cook. The solar boiler only makes enough water to rehydrate two meals at a time. Angela?s other project is the external Sat Phone battery charger which is still in progress. I am working with Iridium to get diagrams of their products give to Angela. We are getting close and hopefully we will be able to resume sending messages to the boat.
They have had some huge waves hitting the boat from the back. At one point Big Blue was rolling along at 13 knots. There is some water in the cabin, but heck?13knots, isn?t it worth it. She expects the winds to change to easterlies, which will push the boat straight west. Currently they are moving southwest. They are looking forward to the easterlies and getting to Barbados. Aleksa tried to give me her drink order, but couldn?t hear it due to the Sat phone. That?s my story and I?m sticking to it??
Angela says people are doing well for the most part. There is humor and camaraderie on the boat. All of them are ready to be sipping cocktails in Barbados.
Big Blue should hit the half way point tomorrow??..ETA estimate 3/1 /11(averaging 85 mile/day)-3/10/11 (averaging 60 miles/day).
Deb
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Audio Blog by Margaret from 2011 02 08
I thought I had been checking Margaret's Blog everyday, but apparently not since this is two days old now. Sorry folks.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xZEoPMvwGB0/TVODJo4oSPI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/yHoA3PGkK-k/s1600/yachtpals_logo.pngYachtPals Article on Angela Madsen by The Fabulous Rachel Smith
Disability is Not a Death Sentence--Angela Madsen Rowing Oceans
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MySl5H6ezOA/TVOE7lXu2CI/AAAAAAAAB2U/nSvgObo1i-k/s320/uk-rowing-pic7.jpgAngela Madsen, Rachel Smith & Ryan Moeller at the start of the 2010 Row Around Great Britain
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2011 02 08 Flying Fish Smell Bad! by Aleksa
Via Tomas on Facebook
Brother Report: Aleksa would like you guys to know that "Flying fish smell bad. Even more so when a big one comes at you in the night and lands in your face! Faaaail."
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Big Blue would like give 3 cheers for Hallin Marine who completed their Atlantic Crossing in Record Time. And 3 more cheers for Sara G who completed their Atlantic Crossing about 15 hours after Hallin Marine and broke Hallin' Marine's record.
Sara G is the new World Record Holder for the E-W Atlantic Ocean Crossing!
Thanks to the Ocean Rowing Society for their fabulous coverage. ORS has a wealth of information on their site. They have webcam from Port St Charles Marina, Barbados linked to their site. You can see both Sara G and Hallin Marine boats at the dock. It looks like a wonderful facility. I can't wait to watch our own Big Blue come in about 3 weeks from now.
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