Message from Explore’s PR & Sponsorships Manager: We’re into the final few days of Team Explore’s epic journey across the Atlantic now and they are putting everything into it as they fight to win the British Record. They need to row at least 40 nautical miles each and every day to stand a chance and at the moment they’re travelling around 42 every 24 hours. They’re doing extra shifts at the oars so sleeping less and having to get through pain barriers every day with sores, blisters and aching muscles, but as Annie says in her latest blog, “We’re on the home stretch now and the last thing I want to be saying to myself when it’s all over is, “If only”!
Again, take a few moments to send them some encouragement as every positive message they get in the next few days will spur them on. They are only 300nm from the finish line, so it could all be over by this time next week!!
http://www.atlanticworldfirst.co.uk/sayhello.php
Annie’s Blog – Thursday 11th March
Since the last blog the weather conditions have done sort of what they were supposed to have done. But we need them to improve and improve fast if we’re to achieve that GB record.
The swell has moved behind us over night, but the wind is still blowing strongly form the south. We need every day now, to be pretty much a 40 mile+ day, so we’ll be doing everything in our capability to achieve that including extra hours on the oars. That will of course mean less sleep but the sleep we do grab in between watches will be even more appreciated. We’re on the home stretch now and the last thing I want to be saying to myself when it’s all over is, “If only”!
Nothing much changes on an ocean rowing boat, so it’s hard for me to know exactly what you might like reading. Our thoughts and decisions remain pretty much the same day by day…
”What direction shall we take? I know…let’s go west to Antigua.
What shall we eat today? I know, let’s have freeze-dried chicken or freeze-dried lamb. (Not that it matters as I can’t really tell the difference anyway.) What shall I wear? Pants or no pants?
What shall I treat my thong with? Talc, Sudocrem, TCP maybe.
Do I need to drink more water? Of course I do.
Do I need to wash my hair? Of course I do.
Can I be bothered? Of course I can’t. “
It makes you realise how utterly unpredictabl e your life at home can be. You never know who will be on the other end of the phone, knock on the door, who you’ll meet in the street or where you’ll end up when you get in your car.
I miss home life quite a lot. But something tells me I’m going to miss life on this little red boat quite a lot too.
Annie xx
Wow…home stretch! Keep going hard, well deserved R & R at the end. Every time I sit on a hard seat too long I feel your pain (but no where near as severe I’m sure). May the wind come around to your backs and sail you comfortably and speedily into Antigua. xo, Mj
Hey there Marvellous Mel and Awesome Annie, keep on pushing those barriers, you have done so much and now down to last bit. Less than 3oo miles , amazing! You will be smelling the land and then seeing it sooner than you think! May the wind gods bless you with waves you can surf down, and the girl gods bless you with pain free cherub like bottoms. Keep in the zone and keep pushing because you are so so close to the record you want. But in my eyes you will always have the outstanding record of just doing it and rowing across that ocean. Enough said! Catherine McKenna
Girls you are doing amazingly – we’re all following you and spurring you on!! Enjoy the ‘home stretch’!! and keep up the fantastic work!..lots of love lisa.x x
Get those asses rowing quicker!!! Keeping it going girlies paddle by paddle, strok by stroke you getting closer and closer to your goal which you’ve been searching for over all the planning, plain, mental toil, you will get past that line and achieved what you’ve been looking to do. And I know as a friend, everyone at home watching you will be thinking of you and wishing you well with every second that your left on that boat. Remember this sounds the most reduculas thing to say but enjoy it while your out there coz before you know it you will be back home, the last few days will be the most painful but also the most enjoyable in a sick way. x
Hello!
You’ll get an email when you can log on saying similar things to this, but want you to know that all the Murrays are thinking of and praying for you. I think you are both amazing. My Mum and Dad say that sometimes they stop what they’re doing – look at each other and say ‘they’re still rowing!’ (and hopefully as in oars – not argument!!!) Cannot wait to see you and hear all about it and drink some wine and hear even more about it…(’we rowed….and rowed….rowed some more…..’) You are so almost there – and you’re not alone. So very very proud of you both. Blummin brilliant job!!!!! Lots and lots of love, Rachel xxxx
Its a pleasure Annie, laughing is good for the soul but so is shouting, screaming, banging, bashing and of course rowing. Maybe I must give it a bash one day.. My hubby is a paddler/canoeist & I am a fantastic second, have not had the balls to get back on his surfski since he took me out to sea a while ago and we surfed a twin towers wave and the boat went the one way & us the other. He still tells the story to his mates and says I was saying “David, Im panicking, David help” I thought I was going to drown. Such a sissie I am but I have also ran Comrades, the Two Oceans and many marathons. Dem bones ache to much these days so I now stick to my 2 jack russels (Grommit & Jack) dragging me down the beach and back. Its fun in the sun. Have a peachy weekend and keep smiling for those camera’s, their batteries are charged for your girls arrival xxxxx keep me posted with further news ok.
Hi Annie and Mel on Explore!
So close to the finishing line now, not far to go! Annie, Uncle Renaud keeps thinking of the time at Seer Green when you announced your plans, and he tried (for all the right reasons) to put you off, spouting platitudes like “never underestimate the power of the sea” and so on. In fact it turns out he underestimated YOU – you’re proving to be such a powerful character you make all eighteen stone of him feel very, very small. Hey, it’s totally lazy by comparison, but fancy another Greek flotilla jobbie before too long? Be nice to have someone on board who can say “Force six? Hell, I’ve rowed the b****y Atlantic in worse than this…”
All our love, to you both! We’re so proud of you. Have your first few dry land beers on us! Renaud and Katie XX
Good to hear Not far now Left loads messages on other site Love you Ren and KT XX
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU AWESOME PAIR. Now have some well earned beer and rest and we’ll try and catch you tomorrow. All our Love Katie and Renaud. XX XX Oh! and Stephen. XX