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Sunday, October
20th: - waiting for the south-western wind The night wasn't easy, full moon practically, still with turbulent systems, many showers with lightning. At 10:10 pm capsized again and recovered immediately, an hour and a half of sleep only in the morning. At 10 am this morning the wind turned south 30-35 knots, with sqalls, very rough sea. After 48 hours of south-eastern wind, 35 knots, it's difficult to head for the east and not to go to the north. It is difficult also for the rower, morally and physically, to be always like in a shaker. It is necessary to stand firm few days more, but Emmanuel hopes for the fast change of wind direction to the west. Emmanuel also informed us that for 3 weeks, he eats and drinks cold, problem on its stove, at the beginning it was uncomfortable especially to have no more hot drinks to warm himself, the cold puree it is not brilliant either, but it's a fact. His main concern from now on is the weather. He saw a cargo boat this afternoon, in 400m. Emmanuel leaves his ladybird in escape, through the waves, he only wants to advance as fast as possible towards France, but cannot use his floating anchor - otherwise towed westward. |
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Saturday, October
19th: - Emmanuel wrapped by the ex-hurricane "Kyle" Since 3 pm of friday Emmanuel undergoes a wind from south-east, 30 to 35 knots, rough to very rough sea. With this strong gale he has just have practically a sleepless night. At 10:10 this morning Ladybird capsized once again, but righted herself immediately. Emmanuel lets his boat spin, 3/4 in waves. - since yesterday afternoon thus Emmanuel is locked into his small cockpit, to be brewed as in a shaker, difficult situation, but reassures us, the risk-taking is not still maximal for the moment, even 3/4 in waves. With more waves from south, the sea is rough, south-eastern wind, 35 knots in the afternoon with passages of some breakers, and sometimes the Ladybird is taken in a wild surfing. We've heard a noise again during our contact, it is the big wave which submerges her. At 6 pm it's already dark, the sky is cloudy, Emmanuel switched his torch on. This depresssion, centred yesterday on the Azores, is the ex-hurricane " KYLE " (another tropical storm) which generates winds from south, south-east, and then south-west, violent (force 9), information given by Meteoconsult, Emmanuel has to double vigilance. The only advantage of this hurricane is that it will make Ladybird go up north very fast. For the moment, Emmanuel looks forward to the wind change from SE to SW, because he is still to far to the west. This change won't probably come true before Monday. One more significant moment for Emmanuel in the afternoon when he had an direct (by sat.phone) with the Adventure Film Festival in Dijon. He hoped to be there personally, after his crossing, but the climatic conditions met since his departure made a different decision. |
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Friday, October 18th: - Calm before storm Yesterday in the evening wind from north, NW, 8 knots, night starry and very enlightened by the moon, still with passages of storm clouds, but also with disturbing swell from north, 1m to 1,5m. Early in the morning, wind N and N/W always, but 5 knots, swells from N and N/O which starts to fall. It is complete calm, the weather is fine, and thus very hot, surprising from the morning. Again not much sleep for Emmanuel this night, because of the storm warning, he woke up 5 times to watch the state of the ocean. But at present, he rows in a not possible heat, the sea became quiet again, "like in summer in the La Baule bay", as Emmanuel said. In the evening, with always a swell from north, 1m in 1,5m, at 3 pm the wind turned south/east, weak, 5 to 8 knots. Emmanuel feels like on a conveyer belt for 4 days, even by rowing as a convict, he fights after all not to move back, this evening will still continue to row against the waves. But with this SE wind of 30-40 knots announced, Emmanuel perhaps will go up north, but certainly will be moved back also, he'll need the southern wind to replace this S/E really quickly. In all, yesterday 16 hours on oars, feels very tired this evening. Emmanuel saw 1 cargo liner in 100m in direction NE, another quite new wooden chevron, lid of dustbin, and another beautiful white bird, probably the same one as yesterday. Emmanuel's arrival approaches, certainly for the next week with the climatic conditions which he is going to meet. Emmanuel from now on is taken in hands by Mr Michel Horeau (Agency 47° Nord-La Trinite/mer-56, advised by the famous meteorologist, Mr Pierre Lasnier de Meteomer) to organize as well as possible his likely landing in the port of Brest, after crossing the longitude of Ouessant. |
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Thursday, October 17th: - storm warning Yesterday in the evening, Emmanuel had many thunderstorms more lightning, at night he even saw the lightning 8 times, the wind had turned north, 10 knots, the moon is in 3/4, and the starry sky after storm. It has been 2 days since he is under stormy systems, Emmanuel fights as he can to go east. He even fell asleep in his big raincoat, so tired, woke up 1 hour later, then put on his polar back. Early in the morning, at 6:30 am, the wind turned NW, 4 to 5 knots, with wavelets which begin to push to the West. The weather was fine. And half an hour before our contact of 1:00 pm the wind has just turned west, 10-12 knots, incredible. At 2:00 pm Emmanuel contacted us again. He has just heard on RFI: they announced a storm warning for his zone, (the Azores, Mountain Charcot) turning south-east then. But this big depression (its 13th since Emmanuel's departure) should not arrive before friday evening, saturday, what made Emmanuel to push on to the north. At 5:00 pm the wind switched north, 12 knots, light shower. But before the weather was good during all day, with passages of cumulonimbus. All day long, in fact, the wind turned - north, NW, then west, then north again. Emmanuel saw another wooden chevron passing in 3m of the ladybird, also saw a buoy of fishing net, and quite a lot of polystyrene. A group of 4 birds passed by, cormorants, rather big. The Ladybird is ready to face this thirteenth depression, everything is settled, and for the moment Emmanuel rushes to the east because the wind from south will arrive then, to move him back up towards France. |
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Wednesday, October
16th: - confronted with the NW wind Yesterday at 22:30 pm the NE wind succeeded the wind from north - that doesn't fit in with Emmanuel's plans. It rained all night long, a new cold front with thunderstorms arrived, Emmanuel saw lightnings more than 10 times. In all 15 hours 30 minutes of rowing yesterday. Another almost sleepless night. In the morning, the sky was overcast, it was rather cold, wind from north-east. Emmanuel hoped sincerely that such conditions wouldn't last all the day. At the beginning of the afternoon still N and N/E wind, 10 to 12 knots, with squalls. Then at 4:30 pm the sky cleared of clouds and the wind finally turned north-west. But that lasted only for half-an-hour, and then the northern wind reappeared, 12 to 15 knots, with large stormy clouds, since Emmanuel saw flashes again. Emmanuel fought all the day to go up to north, succeeded in being stabilized without going down too much, but alas without advancing too much towards the east. By looking at its chart, Emmanuel feels that he's very close, but today for him has gone, until the end it will have to fight against this completely variable weather, and the days pass. We had a break of telephone connection, with the recovery, as Emmanuel is under a large thunderstorm, the wind had just gone up to 15-17 nodes. We've informed him that Fedor Konyukhov has just left La Gomera for a crossing of the Atlantic by the trade winds route, Emmanuel wishes him bon courage and fair winds, et voila - 3 rowers in the Atlantic. |
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Tuesday, October 15th: - strong gales in the the night and a calm in the afternoon. Yesterday at about 6:30 pm a NW wind arrived, 25 knots, sea always rough. One hour later the wind switched to northern, then during all night it was from north and north/west, with gales of 40 knots. Emmanuel thus wasn't able to row, and couldn't sleep too much. Besides, the night was enlightened by big thunderstorms far off with impressive flashes of lighting. This depression passed really fast this night and since the early morning it was half-calm, but with crossed swells everywhere, then the wind turned south / south-east, very, very weak. The day was overcast. The wind this night turned by all the directions of the rose of the winds. Incredible meteorological phenomena. Since the beginning of the afternoon the ocean was dead calm. Emmanuel was to row like insane, because if he stopped the crossed swell takes the Ladybird in wrong direction. Emmanuel has the impression of a conveyer belt. Even clouds around him, seem motionless, but do not bring him rain. Emmanuel spotted another wooden chevron, 4 m long, quite new, and saw a lot of plastic garbage. |
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Monday, October 14th: - still very strong winds Thus yesterday evening, at 8 pm the east wind arrived, 10 to 12 knots, a little agitated, very crossed sea, very short sleep again. At 5 am this morning, the wind turned east south-east. It quickly gained force of 20, 25, 30 and then 35 knots. The ocean got rough, heavy rain started, Emmanuel was forced to lock himself in cabin. Since 4 pm the wind turned south-west, still 35 knots. The ocean calmed, after black clouds in the morning, and a magnificent rainbow, the sun appeared. Then at 5:30 pm the wind turned again, west at the moment, 30 to 35 knots, rough sea again. Emmanuel noticed a cloudy front in the west, the rest of the sky remained blue. The south-western wind thus lasted hardly for 2 hours. The communication this evening was very unstable, let's hope for a better contact for tomorrow, and especially better night for Emmanuel. |
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Sunday, October 13th: - the north-east wind is back... By 9 hours of yesterday's evening the wind turned northwest, 15 knots, and then, at 4 a.m. has blown, alas, from north, 12-15 knots. By 11 a.m. the speed of northern wind has fallen to 8 knots, ocean rather calm, waves from north. The morning was overcast. Two huge black clouds passed by, giving Emmanuel the possibility to dry some clothes and few towels. He's got a consistent reception of French radio stations now, thus he has french news and music. By 4 p.m. the wind turned north-east - very gentle, 5 knots, but waves still from north and northwest. Emmanuel realizes, that he will lose miles towards east, and doesn't want to accept that, especially now, when he feels himself more and more tired each day. So he rowed for 15 hours today, very active, and, if it will be necessary, he'll use a floating anchor for not to be drawn back too much. This morning he spotted a wooden chevron, approximately 1 х 0,80 m, therefore Emmanuel has to be permanently vigilant. Some 10 days before arrival only - not the best time to allow any log to damage a boat. Particularly after all rower has had to go through during this crossing. Emmanue starts to reflect on arrival, he needs to be ready to return to a civilized world after all those months of loneliness. Meanwhile he has to concentrate on his project, the row is not finished yet and the weather will play with him till the end. Monday the east wind will dominate, while waiting for a new depression which will come Tuesday, or before perhaps, this time with wind from southwest or south, if the forecasts remain exact. |
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Saturday, October
12th: - new gale The night was starry, the half-moon gave light, wind from the north 8 knots, later 3 knots. Emmanuel seized the opportunity and was rowing intensively. One more sleepless night. At 4:30 the 4 knots south wind appeared, and in the morning it gained force of 10 knots. The opposing waves from the north and northwest, a strong ripple, very low clouds, rain. At 12:30 the blows of south wind reached 25 - 35 knots, Emmanuel continued to row, though it was rather risky. By 15:00 the wind changed, 35 knots southwest wind, from time to time the strong blows 40-45 knots, a heavy rain started. At 18:00 the direction of the wind has changed again - it started to blow from the west, but still with the speed of 35 knots. The ocean was calm in the morning but by the noon it became rough.The waves from the north and northwest. Emmanuel saw that far from him the huge walls of water were forming, very wide and very long waves, and he's so small at the bottom... impressive. The Ladybird was riding these waves like the surfing. The GPS displayed the the maximum speed of 14.1 knots. At these moments Emmanuel had nothing to do but fix the oars, seize to the boat and to hope that everything will be OK. He admits that it was rather risky, as the Ladybird dived from the wave top many times, but never capsized, Emmanuel kept being on oars to controll the situation. He was frightened several times but preferred not to stay in the cabin. Emmanuel was to put on his waterproof coat, which he kept in a dry place. It is very comfortable - only the eyes remain not covered. It is warm and dry. Emmanuel started to feel the pain in different parts of the body. It is not surprising after all he endured. The lack of sleep played its role too. But he is sure that he's strong enough to finish the row. |
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Friday, October 11th: - collision avoided In the night - northern wind, 12 knots. Early in the morning heavy rain, clouds then gone north. Let's hope that the wind won't turn north/east. The Ladybird almost stopped. Emmanuel rowed during the night and managed to move a little north (against the wind). This night Emmanuel happily avoided to be cut in two by a cargo liner, which travelled same direction. Emmanuel thought, having seen it from far, that it's a fishing boat. More they approached, more they were on the way of collision.Emmanuel did everything to evade, rowing very quickly, he could see green starboard light of the cargo ship, therefore it wasn't a problem. Ship was too large to be a fishing boat, so it was a cargo liner, which passed approx. 80m from Ladybird, its bridge was illuminated like a Christmas tree. Finally Emmanuel was hot - that must be very impressing to see such a monster in the night moving just on you . The night wasn't too cold, the rain started only in the morning. In the afternoon, still northern wind, 10 knots, ocean rather calm. This morning thus cloudy and rainy, then weather improved, then cloudy again, and finaly clear sky. In the evening wind slowed down to 5 knots and turned north/west. In general Emmanuel spent 16 hours rowing, mostly in the night, trying to move to the north. He felt fatigue and the lack of sleep. Fortunately, he could recuperate by listening to France-Infos and Radio-blue, french songs, it was a great support, especially in the night. |
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