news from the route

To row the Atlantic

The following text is via computer translation program, so expect some minor inaccuracies.
For original text in French go to http://www.emmanuelcoindre.com/ la rubrique Parcours

September 10th. Summarized contacts of this day.
Contact at 7:30GMT: (2:30 am for him) Still capsized about quarter past midnight and another time at 1:30 in the morning, very violent, enormous shock: lost his rower's seat (has the other one), but especially does not see any more the drift, Emmanuel is afraid that the well of drift is damaged, because the behaviour of The Lady Bird has changed, she seems tilted in front, has he a leak? Sees nothing at black night, NORTH winds 40 - 50 knots, unchained sea, still under floating anchor. Can do nothing, but wait for the dawn to examine the damages, if there are any. But he certainly has some water in the front cabin, the boat does not tap any more as before. Unless it’s just a mere impression - he does not know any more, being tired by all these turn-overs and sleepless nights. Both the boat and the rower are exhausted..…

Contact at 8:30GMT. Morning; winds the same, high sea the same, all is raging here.

Contact at 10:30GMT (5:30am for him) Finally it is the day rise, his drift is ok, still impossible to go to see the bow cabin - cannot leave his bubble. Waves turned a little more roundish, but 5 in 6m, too much of winds - 40 to 50 knots. Must still wait, and hold. Special bulletin Meteoconsult announced that the calm is not for today.

Contact at 13.00 GMT: (8am for him): Emmanuel still did not go to see his front-cabin too heavy sea, winds NORTH, 45 to 50 knots, the boat seems heavy. Large rollers return, but when thus this depression is going to release him ?... That should perhaps weaken at the end of the afternoon for him, but that compartment worries him enormously. With the last capsizing at 01.30 this morning, the shock was so violent, not as the other turn-overs, as if an enormous wave had pushed him, then gone up, then broken and thrown of at the top. While waiting for the elements to calm down a little, Emmanuelhad a rest, managed to eat a dish of pastas bolognaises, and was thinking…

Contact at 14.15 GMT (9.15am for him) Listened RFI for weather report, it should weaken a little, forces 7 or 8, it is to say what he had before - sure forces 10 and 11.
Others discoveries since: his 2 oars from port side torn off the net. And especially, an abnormal noise made him look back of his bubble: he saw a broken saffron from the starboard tapping the other one, following waves.
Currently Emmanuel has winds of 45 knots, very high sea, demoralized, cut down.

Contact at 15GMT. Couldn't stand to it any more, had to go and to see front compartment, even if it was a risk. Had fastened himself well, nevertheless. Good news! There is no leek in front. The drift is cut to half. The Ladybird seemed to him different after all, because of the broken saffron. Emmanuel thinks of being able to repair it, but has to wait. It weakened a little, but still waves of 5 to 6m, strong wind, 35 to 40 knots. Feels comforted to know that front compartment is waterproof.
More to follow.

Contact of 20 GMT (15h for him) It begins to weaken, but still not enough to be able to go out and work. Crossed sea everywhere, still not bad brewed , but drift slowly South/East. The stabilizer is broken at the level of the fixing, so Emmanuel will be able to repair it.. Everything tore away as from the straw, Emmanuel was even afraid of losing his bubble.
All these problems since his departure from France: delay for 10 days in the delivery of his boat, completely unstable weather report, tropical storms, this enormous depression …Fortunately, in the USA he met magnificent people !

Contact of 23GMT - Thoughts towards the USA.
Alone on this rough ocean, Emmanuel is thinking about the USA, where he was so warmly welcomed and supported from July 4th till his departure on July 29th. He sends a message for the September 11th:
" I join your prayers so that such a tragedy never repeats and so that nobody forgets ".
Emmanuel sends thanks to Arthur and Marjorie, to the French Consulate of Boston and to all those of Chatham, so enthusiastic.
For Emmanuel also the fight starts again: he removed the stabilizer, his lock, finished all draining, he thus will be able to coat and seal. At present the wind NW blows in 15 knots, with a swell from 2 to 3 meters and a little crossed sea. Nothing very nasty. To recover, Emmanuel cooked himself a good mashed potato with tuna and a good hot tea to collect his strength. This night he will remove the floating anchor but will leave a stagger as long as the 2nd stabilizer of Lady Bird will not be reinstalled. She is drifting down, South-East.
From now on, the 2nd seat will be taken inside for night, with an end of safety the daytime. The oars now have a double fixation: end of safety and belt of safety. He also has to make some water. Let us wish Emmanuel to spend a better night, not too much enlivened : 3 sleepless nights practically, that is enough!

Chart of Surface Winds/Seas on September 10th 00.00GMT click here

Summary of various contacts of September 9th.
Since Emmanuel’s getting up at 5h in the morning, the weather is overcast, it rains, it makes cold, but - a little calm break in the morning. The birds in the sky seem all insane. Emmanuel collected the weather forecast on RFI, which announces this terrible depression in his zone towards 13H. During this lull of the morning, Emmanuel made water in reserve, well reorganized, well fixed all in his boat in anticipation of a possible capsize. He washed his hair, finally, and even made a luxury rinse with tepid water. He feels the lack of the reflector radar, because that night he passed a cargo liner, though rather far.

Contact at 20GMT (15H for him) It took approximately 2hours before it started, and already it is large, even worrying for the continuation because it amplifies always with the wire of the hours. Winds from South/West, 40 to 50 knots easy, the sea is unchained, the peaks of the waves fly away, if Emmanuel left, he would surely fly away. He caught several breakers during the contact.

Contact at 23GMT (18H for him) It is terrible here, never saw that, the ocean is in fury, winds North/East now, force at least 10 - cut of telephone - Emmanuel must lie up for safety, he caught enormous waves, he is in full center of the eye of this depression. The sky was grey, then black, then at one blow - a window of blue sky, and then it turned grey again. The winds taking all the directions, dismounted waves, torrential rains, it is rather rare to be in the full heart of a storm. For now - a wild surfing with 17knots on several waves, one involving the other, not inevitably good for the boat which strongly types - new cut of telephone - will be obliged to remain lying for his safety. We could hear the wind blowing - then one more pause than he wanted to say something, but a new wave arrived… then the sound of the wind again... It is a true hell over there.

Contact at 02.00GMT this morning (21H for him) Winds NORTH now, 45 - 50 knots. Ladybird capsized at 00.15GMT and at 01.30GMT, self-righted well. The night is black, it is terrible, terrible. Worry for the boat which types without stop, extremely, even though it is under sea anchor drift and slow, and to undergo such a violence is too big of a load for her.

September 8th
Contact at 13GMT – was suddenly Interrupted, Emmanuel has caught a breaker. It is 8am in the morning for him, he did not row yet, wind NORTH and NORTH/WEST, 30 to 35knots, strong sea, chopped, waves of 4-6m - risky to row. Gone down during the night, the sea was still brewed, the Lady Bird slap badly, therefore Emmanuel slept very little and badly. Yesterday he saw a fishing trawler, but did not seek the contact - too dangerous sea. He told us, that another depression is coming from the West and arrives at him in full top, envisaged by Météoconsult on his zone on Tuesday midnight , with winds as strong as DOLLY. Emmanuel will be in the heart of this depression. Therefore, he certainly is going to remain locked up in his bubble until Tuesday. Hopes for a small lull this morning, to be able to go to his gun bay, to look for a stragger if necessary, and also to complete his reserve of food.

Contact at 20GMT. The 2nd capsize. Winds NORTH and NORTH / WEST, 35 knots. At 3h afternoon (for him) –the 2nd turn-over. The ladybird spent 2 minutes this time to recover. No breakage, fortunately. At the moment all is arranged, cleaned, weather is covered, very irregular and very tight waves of 3 - 6m. As the weather begins to strengthen, Emmanuel is going to raise his drift - useless to take additional risks, impossible to row in such elements. Only disappointment for him - he lost a cap. Emmanuel hopes to take this big depression ( a second Dolly) on Monday, but to hear is not enough

Contact at 23GMT. A 16.30(for him) - the 3rd capsize - an enormous wave. There, almost 20 minutes Ladybird remained upside-down. It is long, very long. Emmanuel in vain made counterweight with his body, nothing would help. Water started to infiltrate through his large bubble and a little by the compass. Emmanuel started to raise questions, when an unhoped-for wave came to help him to recover. But what a test! In the gun bay, at least 50L of water had infiltrated. By emptying it, Emmanuel was soaked of soaked, "the miserable sight, would have said Gerard d' Aboville" . He will release the drift, because the biggest of this depression arrives soon, prudence ! His GPS fell in the bubble - wet but waterproof. At the end of a few hours all is drained, Lady Bird is tight again. Everything is ready at the station - floating anchor, stragger, Emmanuel remains serene while waiting for this new depression, he hopes only for a single thing : that winds, if they must be violent, push him very hardly towards France, and towards his family.

September 7th AFTER DOLLY .Summery of three contacts
Friday evening wind was South/East, , then at about 10 pm it began to strengthen very fast, the sea to be gone up, at least 40, 45 knots, waves from 6 to 9 m, fortunately very long. This tropical so awaited storm "DOLLY", is there. The Lady Bird lay down 2 times about midnight. Torrent rains, black, very black night. A sleepless night for Emmanuel, rolled around all night long, as in a wringer. No wounds, but that has been a very testing and terrible being, Emmanuel did not say it. The boat made a wild surfing and was not bad carried away. Towards 6h in the morning - a slight lull , 30 knots of wind, and especially western. He saw 4 - 5 dolphins. And then a small sunbeam, the first after Dolly, that made its way through the clouds.
Result of this storm: Emmanuel lost his scoop, radar reflector, standard bearer and regrettably his house French .
Contact at 20GMT. Blurred enough contact.
Yesterday all in all Emmanuel rowed only 6 hours. It is 3 pm at present for Emmanuel, he has not rowed - too strong sea, still breakers, yet WESTERN wind, NW, 25 in 30 knots. Made WESTERN course profoundly, but has the impression that there is always a cross current under his feet, S/W and N/E, because Lady Bird should go faster with this wind. There are quite a lot of birds in the sky, the seagulls have their wings folded it means they have enough air. Emmanuel dreams about a good bed, more not to move, his last night was very testing.
In the last contact, 18h for him, sea was agitated and crossed, but seemed blocked nevertheless. Still didn’t row - too many risks. This evening the weather is a little more fresh.

September 6^th ( 20GMT ) There is still no DOLLY in sight, but as Emmanuel went up well to the North, perhaps he has avoided her a little or she might have swerved. Though it is only 15H (for him) on Friday, still anything may happen. With wind from the South the whole day Emmanuel was rowing for 17 hours and he was very satisfied with the result, though he did not make it enough eastwards - because in the same time he had swells from South/East and that opposed him to a certain extent. Currently the sky is overcast, heavy, it is good to row, a little agitated sea, waves 3m approximately, but nothing dangerous. The wind fell in an instant and Lady Bird was through with the South/East. As Météoconsult announced at that very moment, this tropical storm, which made us to await, was expected to arrive on Saturday to the West from where Emmanuel was, let us hope that it is true. Emmanuel saw a tortoise loggerhead and a tuna of approx 60cm

Contact of September 6^th. Summary of the call at 13GMT today: On standby for tropical storm Dolly.
Currently Emmanuel has South wind, 12 to 15 knots, the sea is agitated/ little agitated, swells South and South/East, which is good for him. There is again a lot of white and grey cumulus, nothing malicious for the moment coming from the South. Yesterday there was a starlight night, Emmanuel was coming closer to Newfoundland Rise - already a good distance done. Either DOLLY is late, or it deviated…As it is only 8h in the morning for him, the day is not finished, but it starts well, for the moment.....

Contact of September 5^th , 20GMT: The whale that Emmanuel saw, in the final analysis was only about 14-15m, and not 17m long. Towards 13h-14h (for him), the wind turned into South wind, 10 to 12 knots, so Emmanuel does not move back West any more (what he did last night with North/East wind). Yesterday he rowed for 14 hours. Today is not an easy day - water is 28°, the sky is full of white cumulus. Emmanuel saw again flying fish. He re-made 2L of water - additional -with the electric desalinator , all is moored, the boat is ready in case of a new capsize. Anyway, Emmanuel is satisfied with this tropical storm Dolly which is approaching him, because it means - A WIND! Certainly maybe violent, but the wind which is going to take him out of this hole, where there is too much of current, and it is too difficult for him to get out of it alone. He is soon going to cross the shipping route Gibraltar / New York, and is also going to pass Newfoundland Rise, maybe he will see fishermen over there? Emmanuel has looked through his film about that whale, it is magnificent, and he thinks about the children of the hospital Necker : when they see this film, they will enjoy it so much. Because the whale came close to have a look of Emmanuel, crossed the way in front of the boat, then returned on the side, one moment looked at him and then plunged away. A moment of relaxation for Emmanuel before the storm!
Later, when the sea calms down, Emmanuel will have to remove barnacles from the bottom of his boat.
Here we are, now Emmanuel is waiting serenely for this tropical storm Dolly, this night or Friday morning.

Contact of September 5^th, 13GMT. After 6pm yesterday, the winds turned into East, then North/East, therefore Emmanuel had to stop rowing because he was derived too much to the West. At present it is 8am in the morning (for him), the winds turned into South, 4 to 6 knots, also coming from South/East. As a result within 24 hours the winds took all the directions. Emmanuel thus went up a little to the North, but alas! - by losing a little bit to the East. This morning he saw 2 whales, one - within 100m, the other one - in 20m (or may be this was the same one who had approached him). Emmanuel has filmed this splendid spectacle, especially when it plunged in front of him. Emmanuel stops suddenly on the telephone: the whale returned, it is there, in 15m from the boat! Hang up quickly to still be able to film. It is enormous, 16 -17m long. With the resumption of the contact let us announce special weather bulletin for him for 3 days, requested from Météoconsult. The forecaster informs, that the depression which arrives to Emmanuel from the South is the former tropical storm DOLLY Attention! Violent winds for tomorrow, or perhaps this night. Shall review during contact to-night. Being able to receive RFI from 4am to 6am, Emmanuel heard that Spanish fishermen had fished giant squids of 17m...Well, he prefers by far to see a whale and not these animals.

Contact of September 4 (11h GMT) - Finally better conditions!! Yesterday all day long it rained without stop, with wind SE. Then finally the first signs of changing appeared at nightfall. Quite slowly the wind turned into SW. For midnight the weather set in, Emmanuel returned in a regime of West wind, from 12 to 15 knots. He rows N/NE. Let us hope that this onset lasts, clarifies itself and settles down.

Contact of September 3 (18h GMT) - Small hope of lull... At night Emmanuel had wind East, and in the early morning wind E, from 15 to 18 knots. The sea was agitated with a small rain all the night up to 11h this morning. Emmanuel thus moved back, and yet, he rowed his boat across the waves, direction Nord-East. But he didn't advance much. It is necessary at all costs to go up. At the moment (15h his time) he seems to have wind E/SE 12 knots. The wind thus weakened, that will be perhaps more navigable for him. Emmanuel misses a luck, he practically still didn't have good conditions and it discourages him a little. Nevertheless he gained some miles to the North and that is not unimportant for him. This night he saw a cargo liner going westwards

Contact of September 2nd (18 h GMT) - Since yesterday Emmanuel constantly has 20 knots, not a joy! The sky is covered and the same weather is announced for the rest of the day. In the early hours at about 5 am, Emmanuel found himself between 4 warships in the distance, which were going the same way - to the East. He was able to recognize 2 frigates. Emmanuel made an attempt to contact them on VHF , but there was no response. He filmed them. He put back in place his radar reflector and his French standard bearer.
During contact at 18GMT the wind was to the East from 17 to 20 knots. Emmanuel realized that rowing is of more deficiency for him than diverting, it is absolutely necessary to limit the breaks. His objective is to go up to the North, by winning to the East naturally, and especially not to move back or to go down below 41°N.
But where are those S and SW winds??! It is all that Emmanuel needs - a good depression, but in the good direction!!

Summary of calls September 1st (12:00 and 20:00GMT)
1st capsize! - at 3:30 am in the morning.
Emmanuel had stopped rowing on Saturday at about 9 pm, because it became dangerous, had a hard night on Saturday and had to prepare himself for difficult Sunday. Wind North before night, very strong, Emmanuel even arranged his oars because they were likely to fly away. Thus this depression arrived well earlier than foreseen. And at 3:30 am Sunday: 1st turn-over by starboard, had no time to see it coming. The boat self-righted almost at once, but some seconds when she was upside-down must have been longest in his life. Voila, she has made it! Now Emmanuel knows how his boat behaves in case of turn-over. Result: a nasty bruise in the right shoulder and the collarbone, some scratches, because Emmanuel was thrown against the handle of his bubble. Got out well out of this nevertheless, because had he no time to put his motorcycle crash helmet on, that could have been worse - the sea became 40 knots of wind, big waves from 4 to 6m. The radar reflector was broken, Emmanuel has got it back and will check later if anything else is missing. At 7 am in the morning, wind NNE blows down SSW, but rather slightly, must have a small Southern current below. It was cold a little yesterday evening, for the 1st time. For noon approximately, wind is from 25 to 30 knots with waves to 2m. Everything is crossed here. Let us wish him better conditions, or at least the wind which can help him in his efforts.

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