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| September 1-10 | 21-30 | |
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11 September 12 September 13 September 14 September 15 September |
16
September 17 September 18 September 19 September 20 September |
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To row the Atlantic |
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The
following text is via computer translation program, so expect some minor
inaccuracies. |
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September 20th. Yesterday when we left, there was still East wind, but weak, up to the nightfall, then it turned South/East, very weak, with a calm break at night - as a result Emmanuel did not progress too much. At about 4 am in the morning - a very light South wind, and for this afternoon, wind South and South/West, very light, from 8 to 12 knots. So the day of intense rowing, since the wind does not help Emmanuel too much. In addition it rains without stop, a straight rain, low ceiling. At least the rain has cleaned the salt. There is also a swell from East. Emmanuel is going to cook good mashed potato and will still set out again for 4-5 hours more, to attack profoundly eastward, to France. Emmanuel is worrying that this good South/West wind will not last long, because though the forecast promised him winds of 4 to 5 Beaufort, or 15 - 20 knots, he does not have them. And he is concerned about the depression which stagnates in Portugal - let it not send him winds from East or North. Emmanuel saw a cargo boat which went westward, and the other one later, one container-carrier, going eastward. He would have been able to get it in VHF, but with the plentiful rain it would not be easy to approach. |
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September 19th. Thus, yesterday evening wind from North/East, at night again N/E, in the morning still the same uncomfortable conditions, wind N/E 10 to 12 knots, turning East wind. Weakening in the afternoon, and currently East with 6 knots. In fact, when Emmanuel stops rowing, he descends South/East and it’s very difficult for him to accept it. We feel he is very tired of this situation. Moreover he has a swell from North and East. Even the splendid weather of this day is unable to raise his morale up. Emmanuel took the solution to row rather than to put himself under drift anchors, obviously he is enormously tired. He is awaiting the South wind announced for Friday and gives maximum a few days to arrive in these winds. But moreover, he knows that he cannot rest because it will be necessary for him to catch up with the lost miles, and these winds from the South will leave him afterwards, and the galley will go on. All is very problematic for him over there. Emmanuel should be rewarded with South and South/West winds, and not for only 2 days.... All in all 16hours on oars for little progress. He saw a cargo liner (Gibraltar/N.Y route), he also saw a bench of dolphins in the EAST, then a bench of a hundred sardines. During a quiet break, he dived (while remaining attached) under his boat to scrape the barnacles. In the afternoon a large coryphene gilt-head sea-bream (1,40m) arrived under his boat. Emmanuel thought of cooking a good snack out of it, but then said to himself, that it was like him, all alone, and like him shared his loneliness for one moment, so he let it leave. Later Emmanuel had about thirty dolphins under his boat. He even asked us whether we could hear them blowing, a little like a breath of wind.. He explained us on line what they were doing: they were there within 30m from the boat, and hop! they plunge, and hop! they jump. Emmanuel was not bored by this spectacle, a little of presence in his solitude, a small enjoyment in his distress. |
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September
18th. Continuously and regrettably, a wind North/East, 10 to 17 Knots, all the day, with a swell from NORTH and NORTH/EAST, many cumulus. The only satisfaction, the sun redoes its appearance. It is good for all the things to get dry: moisture of the cabin, clothes, towels - a little comfort in spite of the unwanted weather. As far as Emmanuel has to limit the drift, i.e. not to move too much south, he even thinks of putting the boat under floating anchor, if this NORTH wind goes on: because while rowing he seems to go down south-south/east more quickly. Will make a test. He doesn’t have, like all the other rowers had, a West or South/West wind during several days. Ah! if it were the case, he would be so far away already, and he still hopes to be. The whole day Emmanuel was rowing - for 16 hours. He heard a weather report on RFI, that in the North of the bank of Milne, there was a tropical storm, with South winds forces 7; if only it could reach him and bring him this force too !… In the evening Emmanuel gets dressed well - it starts to get cold towards 18.30. He saw quite a lot of plastic tins, and fragments of polyester. Were are those sinners? - he’d like to meet them and to ask for a little of fresh food: because around him there is not a single edible fish. After all Emmanuel did not put a drift anchor. The moon in her ѕ is going to allow him to row on at night. Has to get dressed well hat, large jacket. But when Emmanuel advances as he wants, he manages better to accept the difficulties… We can only wish him good courage in awaiting more favourable conditions. |
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First of all, Emmanuel thanks all those, who send him encouragements, and pray for his success: September 17th. |
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September 16th. Before night the wind turned North, 15 knots, not an ideal, thus Emmanuel went down a little, but fought to win to the East. Nights are rather cold and wet. In the early hours weather is cloudy and drizzle. Emmanuel was even woken by a wave - a wave, that knocked a little more hardly against Ladybird. At the moment the weather is beautiful, it is good for the morale, but wind is North again, which even strengthened, from 15 to 25 knots. Obliged to row in the waves, not inevitably easy, at present swell of 4 to 5m, with some breakers from time to time. All in all there were 16 hours of intense effort. Emmanuel crossed 2 benches of sardines, there are many birds also around him. He calls us back a little later, before the nightfall(10:30 pm for us) because he has just been visited by : first of all - a big brown mammal, which approached him within 30m , made jumps, then turned in the water ...a strange dance. Then a moment later, Emmanuel saw in approximately 300m, a big black brilliant fin, of at least 1,30m of height - one killer whale - impressive vision - then seems left to the South. Tomorrow on Tuesday there will be a difficult day, because wind is North, rather strong one, he has to make everything not to be taken down too much. |
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September 15th. In the first part of the morning, wind from the North, then a weak North/West, light rain. Since noon, again North/West wind 25 knots, the sky was cleared, the sun has arrived on the stage and sweating his guts out Emmanuel is plying his oars. The sea is crossed, waves 3 to 4m, so it rinses Emmanuel permanently. Thus, after rowing for 10 hours he went under the floating anchor and there still remain 4 hours for him before the night. He is going to take a small meal, then to come back to his post of oars, maybe to row through the whole night as the sky is clear, the night should be lit with half moon. Emmanuel is obliged well to compose with this weather, but it is not simple here, he finds nevertheless forces and motivation to hold on, by thinking of the sick little children of the Necker hospital of Paris, by hoping that his crossing will be paying also for them. |
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September 14th. Emmanuel was rowing for 11hours and not to make a great progress, but because of a head wind from North/East at night, which then turned into East wind early in the morning, 12 to 15 knots. So he felt he had to put himself under drift anchor, when a long swell from the West deadened the retreat - Emmanuel has to compose well with the conditions which appear to him. He examined the bottom of the Ladybird if there were many barnacles, not too much after all, could scrape some by hand. As he had got wet while looking under the boat, he took advantage of it by washing his hair. And pumped some additional fresh water. Didn’t see any big creatures , besides some seagulls. Now Emmanuel is especially impatient to get the next weather forecast on RFI for his zone, because hopes for quick changes. All he has done for his boat seems to be OK: stabilizer holds tight, front cabin is dry, all is cleaned and arranged. |
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September 13th. Summary of contacts.
Yesterday evening Emmanuel did not have the strong gale announced on RFI, continuation of the tropical storm Gustave, which passed more to North and thus more behind him. With a good West wind from 10 to 15 knots and South/West from 8 to 10 knots, Emmanuel rowed well, 16 hours for that day, and even at nightfall because there is now half moon. Besides a little thick fog in the morning and in the evening, Emmanuel had 3 and a half hours of sun, and the rest of the day it was a low ceiling, but he did well. Currently the West wind dropped to 6 -10 knots, long swell of 2 -3m, the nights start to be fresh but bearable. He saw some seagulls and 2 turtles - approximately 60cm. Yesterday evening he treated himself with good mashed potatoes + tinned sardines. He manages very well to get RFI now, in addition to weather reports he is getting the news of the world. Still did not see fishermen. |
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September 12, summary of the day. Emmanuel is content, he has crossed finally, despite everything that he has undergone, the half-way point. All is well. Yesterday he had a good west wind of 35, to 40 knots, but it died down at night. Instead Emmanuel was presented with a beautiful night, lit with 1/4 of the Moon. The sea being agitated, Emmanuel slept little because the Ladybird rolled a little. At dawn the wind slightly turned South/West, 8 to 10 knots, quiet. With being able to go more up North, Emmanuel had another passage west in12 knots. At present, in fact, there blows wind South/West, 6- 7 Beaufort. The sea is agitated, waves 2m, but no danger at all. Yesterday he rowed only for 9 hours, and today recovered to row profoundly. The weather is grey, low ceiling, but with the best wind for him South/West. The repaired stabilizer works well; the front cabin is perfectly dry. Emmanuel saw a turtle, and also met not bad plastic barrels floating, perhaps it means that there are fishermen in the area! He also had time to replenish some fresh water in reserve. He thinks he'll make a good progress today again. Emmanuel feels in good shape, he became hyper vigilant on everything. |
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September 11th. Contact of 11GMT(8 h for him) In the day rise - wind from the WEST , at present - a very weak wind from the SOUTH. Emmanuel is going to finish and install his stabilizer before the wind strengthens, as announced by Mйtйoconsult for this afternoon on his zone. He inspected well his hold: one very, very light crack, which is sealed at the moment. He as well inspected all the structure of Ladybird, everything is OK. On one of the sun panels, the plastic film was unstuck on 5cm, but without damage for printed circuits. This night Emmanuel was finally able to sleep 2 hours and a half at a blow, then - an alarm clock (undoubtedly the concern to check the course), then again 2 hours and a half - " never slept so much “, according to him The program for the morning: 1) stabilizer to be re-fixed, 2) to make some water, 3) to go back " to the job ", that is to row for him. Contact of 18 GMT(15 h for him): Emmanuel reinstalled the stabilizer, everything is OK, with double safety binding - delicate operation which took him some time, because the sea is agitated, wind in 10-15 knots. He(it) was soaked, but happy. He had hardly finished this operation, when 15min later the wind strengthened just like that, 6-7 Beaufort, the full WEST, with waves of 2-4m. Enormous rollers arise ceaselessly. The forward cabin is now tight, he added 2 spacers under its lid for a better sealing. Ladybird behaves herself almost as before, she set out again, as far as Emmanuel feels that he will make a good day, and tomorrow should be also good, since the announced weather report is favorable for him, wind SOUTH-WEST. Finally a good news, for All, let us wish that it lasts, lasts a long time... |
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