2011 02 10—Angela Reports In

2011 02 10—Angela Reports In


Via Sat Phone to Deb



Today’s fun on the boat….African Day. Louise gave Angela something (ya know, you don’t always get clear details on the Sat Phone) and Angela made a hat that looked tribal. She matched that up with her tech towel and paraded around the boat. Not to be outdone, Ryan decided that he would participate in African Day by parading around in a loincloth. Hum….I guess after being out on the ocean for 25 days they are starved for entertainment. The other entertainment people have engaged in is writing on the boat with markers and now Big Blue looks like a graffiti canvas.



Angela says everyone has about 20 days of snack packs left and feels they will have plenty of food to make it to Barbados. Angela has worked on the solar water boiler and has gotten it to work again. Apparently, a blockage was not letting the full amount of water release from the boiler. Angela was able to clear the blockage and fix the pump and it is providing water for rehydrating meals. The solar water boiler allows them to heat water without using the precious little stove fuel they have left. She has also built a solar oven out of a dry bag, and an emergency blanket. This allows her to keep the meals warm whilst waiting for the other meals to cook. The solar boiler only makes enough water to rehydrate two meals at a time. Angela’s other project is the external Sat Phone battery charger which is still in progress. I am working with Iridium to get diagrams of their products give to Angela. We are getting close and hopefully we will be able to resume sending messages to the boat.



They have had some huge waves hitting the boat from the back. At one point Big Blue was rolling along at 13 knots. There is some water in the cabin, but heck…13knots, isn’t it worth it. She expects the winds to change to easterlies, which will push the boat straight west. Currently they are moving southwest. They are looking forward to the easterlies and getting to Barbados. Aleksa tried to give me her drink order, but couldn’t hear it due to the Sat phone. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it……



Angela says people are doing well for the most part. There is humor and camaraderie on the boat. All of them are ready to be sipping cocktails in Barbados.



Big Blue should hit the half way point tomorrow……..ETA estimate 3/1 /11(averaging 85 mile/day)-3/10/11 (averaging 60 miles/day).



Deb

Recap: Introduction to Roc Expedition rowing project Big Blue

Recap: Introduction to Roc Expedition rowing project Big Blue

Dec 12, 2010  By Angela

Just to bring everyone up to speed on what Angela Madsen is up to these days

I do have another rowing project. It is not my solo row that I had begun planning and am chomping at the bit to do. It is something different and interesting. I took a visually impaired rower from Canada ocean rowing. He was considering rowing across the Atlantic. He found me on the internet. He is no longer with the project as he became violently ill on the boat, Sea Sickness combined with some shoulder problems changed his mind about ocean rowing but hey that is why I do the introductory ocean rowing classes. It should be everyone’s first step when considering rowing an ocean. The project that he was part of had lost their skipper so Franck told them about me. I began receiving e-mails from this guy Steve

Steve is relentless and convincing when he wants something, He does not give up! My kind of people! I began finding out more about their project, the crew, the boat and David. I discussed it with Debs, looked at what horrible financial shape I am in from all of this ocean rowing without sponsors, Gave much thought to my solo ocean rowing project and decided what the Hell, I can do both. First thing was to jump right in and organize sea trials for the project. To make sure it happened as this crew had been let down and abandoned before. They were not prepared, much of the critical information they needed to ensure success of their project was missing. I signed on late in the game with some big challenges and I have been cramming them with information, so much they could now be successful without me. They know what they are doing and why, from preparation of the boat to survival training, they have an extreme sense of caring for crew, camaraderie and of loyalty. They are amazing! We are still looking to fill the 16^th spot on the crew.

Debs and I leave for Morocco on Christmas day.

I will blog more on my solo rowing project another time, I have not postponed it, changed or deviated from my plan, and it got a little more complicated and difficult. It became more interesting!

Angela

Progress on the Big Blue Row & RowofLife Springs a Leak

Progress on the Big Blue Row & RowofLife Springs a Leak

By Angela Madsen  12/07/10

Back from New York dealing with packing food for the crossing, boat will ship this week and be in Morocco on Jan 1. If we can get the boat assembled and all the food ready to load we should be able to Begin the Row on Jan 8. I was hoping to get some training in, row to Catalina, Newport Harbor, Dana Harbor, and San Diego. Not much time left before heading off to row the Atlantic again. So I put Rowoflife in the water the day of Christmas Regatta on Sunday and rowed a bit, checked all my deck hatches, nice and dry. Then we rowed last night. I went to go for a row today. First things first, I checked all the deck hatches. We had a bit of rain so I was fully prepared to pump out some water. I removed the survival suits which were floating around in what looked like way more than rainwater in the starboard battery compartment. I removed the battery. I began pumping and the water level went down. As soon as I thought I got it all I stopped pumping and noticed that the water was pouring in through an 8 inch crack in the hull. She is compartmentalized much like the Titanic so she wasn't really sinking but not willing to chance it. I had rowed it from the Dunster dock over to the rowing dock and noticed a woman in a kayak, Beth, paddling towards me. As soon as she got close enough she said “I Google searched your name” we talked and then she offered to help me get the boat out of the water. I was sad to see the water pouring out of the crack in the hull. Is it repairable? Guess I'll find out soon enough. I hope so.

New Project--Big Blue Atlantic Row

New Atlantic Row

By Angela Madsen 12/03/10

Msparasurfer says

www.rocexpedition.com Will be headed for Morocco soon to Skipper Big Blue, The First Ocean Rowing Catamaran with crew of 16 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to break world rowing record. It will be time to start following the tracking and again we will be blogging while we are underway.

World Record breaking attempt December 2010 / January 2011 3000 miles Africa to the Americas in under 33…