5,000 Nautical Miles Rowed, a Birthday and 100 days at sea!
If the girls were rowing the Indian Ocean they would now be finished! When we congratulated them on reaching this 5,000nm milestone their response was: “We only have to row the equivalent of the Atlantic now!” Checking their tracker and the video’s that are posted there has become a daily ritual for many and it is only when looking at this that you start to appreciate the vastness of the South Pacific Ocean!
In the last update we mentioned the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). They are now crossing this area and skipping between the low-pressure systems further south and the high-pressure systems at their current latitude. This provides for very variable conditions, with sometimes flat calm conditions as they fight to get traction to the west in the highs and strong winds from the lows trying to suck them to the south. Right now they are trying to maintain a course due west to go in between the islands of Samoa a little further north and the islands of Fiji a little to the south. The SPCZ conditions will continue until they are well west of Fiji.
📜Ships Log - Day 93 - Tuesday 5th August
SLOG SLOG SLOG … in the words of Simon Rowell, our weather router.
It has been HOT, we’ve had quite a few days where there’s been absolutely no wind at all. It’s so peaceful being in complete silence on the Pacific. With just the sound of the oars clunking in the gates and dipping in the water. Although lovely, it makes for hard rowing. We’ve had to push harder to get the boat moving which still weighs over a tonne, leaving us a little more achy than usual and a little more exhausted … if that’s even possible!
We’ve adjusted our course to 264 degrees to aim for Cairns and will be adding a further 500 miles to our expedition. This may sound like a lot, but it will likely be the quicker route. We’ve done a stock check of our food onboard and will still have more than enough to carry on with our 5,000 calories per day until completion.
To head to Cairns is a little more complicated navigationally as we’ll be passing some of the Pacific islands quite closely. The planned route at present takes us south of Samoa, North of Fiji, through Vanuatu and North of New Caledonia, before we’ll need to make a passage through the Great Barrier Reef. With our lack of power and inability to turn the chart plotter on we’ll need to be very careful as we navigate these challenges.
Our mileage has been really low the last few days as we’ve been rowing into slight headwinds and on some days did not have any wind or current at all. I’ve never seen the ocean so flat calm, the sunset last night almost melted into the water. Throughout the whole crossing the swell has been very minimal and so far, the Pacific has largely lived up to its name apart from regular squalls running past.
Without wind we’re left absolutely baking and without any shade it feels as if we’re in the middle of the desert. It really makes the rowing hard and the naps impossible to get up from.
Last night, during my rowing shift from 0200 - 0400 I woke up pretty confused as I was covered in snacks, one of my oars was trailing in the water and the moon was in the wrong place meaning the boat was facing the wrong way. It turns out I must have fallen asleep whilst having a little nibble on some love corn … this takes the sleep deprivation to a new level.
Then we’ve had the wind which has been all over the place, hitting us from every direction other than our stern which isn’t most comfortable. We’ve gotten used to the incessant rocking from side to side as we try and get both our oars in on a stroke. We’ve also been hand steering a lot as we’re travelling too slowly for the autohelm to function.
The continuation of the Perseids Meteor Shower has looked like fireworks in the sky, blasting light all around us and lighting up the seas. It’s been hot at night too and we’ve tried sleeping on deck but do end up covered in dew so it’s not the most comfortable.
Our bodies are still holding up well, but we have noticed our grip strength is deteriorating. We both struggle to undo the lids on our water bottles and open and close hatches. We also find it hard to carry the 10L Jerry water canisters from one end of the deck to the other, probably due to muscle wastage. Anything that is not a rowing stroke or a linear movement is tricky. After all, the only movement we’ve been doing is rowing and then moving from the rowing seat to the cabin.
We’re going to be walking like Captain Jack Sparrow when we reach land.
🎉Miriams 26th Birthday
As the clock ticked over midnight on the night of the 8th of August it became the 9th and Miriam stepped out of the cabin to start her midnight to 0200 shift and became 26! What a wonderful way to start her birthday.
Jess had been busy in the last minutes of her shift decorating the decks with a myriad of different coloured glow sticks for Mims and on a later shift a clever message interspersed with treats for the day.
They both stopped for a tuna, mash and greens ‘Velocity Special’ lunch and opened a rusty can of peaches, to which they added 2 small bottles of bubby to celebrate in style.
I remember during a final (and fairly teary!) farewell on the dock before they boarded velocity and rowed out to the horizon, giving one piece of advice; “look after each other out there!”
🌊100 Days at sea
Reaching 100 days at sea has been a major milestone for them and we think they will be at sea for another 60 or so days at sea.
“When you’re climbing Everest, nothing is easy. You just take one step at a time, never look back and always keep your eyes glued to the top.” Jaqueline Susann.
While the girls are always facing backwards, and not taking steps but pulling those oars, there is no ‘top’ but a keen focus on reaching the end of this incredible journey.
Their sites are now firmly set on Cairns and the next part of the journey which will be a challenge as they weave through the South Pacific islands of Samoa, Fiji and Vanuatu, with limited use of their navigation equipment because of ongoing power issues.
It has been clear throughout this journey, and the fact they are getting on so well in such a confined space (difficult, as every ocean rower knows), that their positive attitude, endless humour, and the simple and thoughtful gestures that they make to look out for each other, are the glue that will help this expedition to succeed. Their approach and the lessons learned, I am sure, will also become a blueprint for future extreme expeditions of any kind.
We had a video conference with them recently and it was clear that they are loving every aspect including when the weather is throwing everything at them or problem solving their electronical issues. Our next newsletter will likely be out once they have navigated past the islands of Fiji.
REMEMBER: You can track Mims and Jess on the homepage or on the YB Races App 📱 by searching Seas the Day.
Jess and Miriam are raising vital funds for The Outward Bound Trust, a charity helping young people get outdoors, push their limits, and grow in confidence. The team hopes to inspire the next generation to take on challenges of their own.
If you’d like to be part of their story and help Seas the Day make history with the Great Pacific Escapade, please donate.
