In mid-September, Colin Angus and fiancée Julie Wafaei set off from Lisbon on a quest to row across the Atlantic. In this, the fourth in a series of regular updates, Angus reports on the 92nd day of their adventure.
Julie and I had an early visit from Santa Claus as we continued our struggle across the Atlantic.
After three months alone in our rowboat, we spend much time imagining and envying the treats and friendly companionship the rest of the world is enjoying in the lead-up to the holiday season. So, when Julie spotted a 100-foot luxury yacht motoring along in the distance this week, she immediately picked up the VHF radio to say hello and invite them over for pancakes.
They declined the pancakes, but they did change course to investigate a rowboat in the middle of the ocean. It seemed surreal to have the gleaming vessel coming toward us after so many weeks of seeing nothing but freighters on the distant horizon. Six jolly crew members on the sailing yacht Ripple were on deck, hooting and cheering as they drew close. Apart from some Spanish fishermen who had waved from a distance, these were the first people we had encountered in three months.
It was a calm day, and Ripple stayed alongside for an hour as we exchanged stories. The crew were on their way from the Mediterranean to Antigua in the Caribbean. They expected the leg from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean to take 13 to 14 days, a stark contrast to the 80 or more days it would take us to cover the same distance.
Before departing, the kind folks on Ripple lavished us with gifts that would make our holidays (if it is possible to use that word to describe a period that also involves 16 hours a day of rowing) the most memorable ever. They handed us several bags filled with chilled sodas and beer, a large carton of assorted chocolate bars, loads of junk food, several magazines, and nine paperback books.
It is impossible to describe the joy of unexpectedly receiving such luxuries after spending a quarter of a year by ourselves in an open rowboat. As Ripple chugged into the distance, Julie and I grinned from ear to ear as we sipped on cold pop, wrapping the rest of our treasures in a blanket to preserve the chill.
Hurricane Epsilon spared us this month, but the disrupted wind patterns have put us behind schedule and we are not even halfway to our destination. So once again, we are reassessing the time of our arrival in Florida and looking more carefully at our food supplies. Last week, a glimmering school of dorado made an appearance, voraciously attacking the lure we dangled in their midst. We landed four of the gold-coloured fish, eating some fresh and hanging the rest up to dry. These delightful-tasting fish are no longer just a change from the monotony of our provisions, but have become a necessity. We have now caught a total of 24 and hope our luck continues.
With the indulgences from Ripple, we can now plan our Christmas Day treat tomorrow. Our festivities will include warm beer, dorado-and-cheese macaroni, made with our last block of Portuguese cheese — aged to perfection after 100 days — and sweets. And, of course, the bellowing of Christmas carols over the blue expanse of the ocean.
For more information, visit www.expeditioncanada.com.
