Blog post from the Skipper

Day 33

We are on the eve of the halfway mark, currently hurtling towards Mauritius!

Having just been through a tough week of rowing in this relentless ocean, yesterday was a welcome break in the weather, plus a change in the ocean current in our favour.

Our boat speed had increased over the past 24 hours, we are making around 1° of longitude westerly every 24 hours.

Yesterday we were interviewed by Tina Altieri, from channel 7. This should be going on air in the next couple of days.

The break in the weather from days of rain also allowed us to have a good clean out of lockers, and in particular our cabin. We had developed a leak from deck, which meant water then leaked down under the mattresses and filled up in our footwell.

So we worked as a team, pulled everything out on the deck and cleaned the whole cabin. For me personally the 3 days preceding that were most difficult so far mentally, the constant confused seas, rain cloud after rain cloud and nowhere to properly get dry, combined with a lower speed due to opposing current left the atmosphere onboard in a negative spin.

Then while using the stunt bucket, I was doused by a large wave, not ideal with salopettes and shorts around my ankles I had nowhere to go! But is all part of the experience. However it really got me when I went into the cabin later on, it was incredibly hot and humid, so I decided to break cardinal sin number 1! In a moment of weakness I cracked open the aft cabin hatch, if only for around 10 seconds, within 5 seconds we were hit by double wammy of huge waves, the first stunned us, knocking Ben and Steve off their seats while rowing, and the second one barged its way through the gap in the hatch I had just opened, thus landing on my head, our bedding and my upper body mostly. Not impressed Mr ocean, this cabin is a restricted place!

Anyway, onwards and upwards, worse things happen at sea!

Chris