Christmas Eve
Happy Christmas Eve everyone.
I’ll keep this short and sweet, I’m sure you’re all very busy getting ready for a social week ahead.
Liz has continued to amaze me with her daily runs. When crossing an Ocean the navigator will choose a time of day, often midday and calculate the number of miles covered over the previous 24 hours. With ocean rowing boats travelling at an average of 2 to 3 knots a good daily run would be around 70 miles. With the recent strong winds, Liz has clocked up as many as 84 miles in a day. This is sensational for a solo.
She made a number of weight saving changes to TicTac over the summer. This has meant the power to weight ratio ( Liz’s effort to the boat's weight) is better than other solos. She is also being very strict about carrying food waste. Any food that has been leftover for the day allocated, will feed the fish. Each competitor has to carry a minimum amount of food calculated for their body weight. Liz had to pack 4000 calories for 80 days. It was hilarious going around the supermarket together searching for the highest calorie, lightweight snacks and filling our trolley’s with chocolate, peanuts, biscuits and cake. You can imagine the looks we got !
Back to the race.. Liz has maintained 3rd place in solos, mid teens in all boats and 5th in women's class. Just phenomenal.
It has been hard fought and with very little sleep. She had her first full hour after 9 days! Up until then she had only taken short naps of 30-45 minutes, before the sound of a wave rushing under the cabin got her up to help Tic Tac steer down the surf.
During windy periods Liz hasn’t been able to row, when the waves are big they can catch the blades (the end of the oars) and force the handle forwards, whacking the rower in the shins or chest, not fun at all. In these conditions it's safer to keep the oars inside the boat.
TicTac has had a couple of knockdowns due to the conditions, during one, an oarlock was broken. Liz has spares and it was replaced. Another little mishap was whilst climbing into the cabin, her harness caught on something. She was stuck for a moment with the hatch open and a wave crashed over the deck and sprayed into the cabin swamping her bedding. Very frustrating!
It's now almost a full moon and Liz is enjoying the night hours in the moonlight. Last night she had very little wind and had time to appreciate how pretty it was out in the Atlantic.
I promised I’d be short, so I’d better stop here.
She’s so easy to write about and I’m in total awe of what she’s achieving.
You’ll be pleased to know she has some special Christmas chocolates and a few cards, with lovely messages from friends and family to open on Christmas.
I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas.
Fair winds and following seas.
Louise