2011 02 18 Messages, Barnacles, Silence, Fish, Rotting Flesh &-1000 by Angela

2011 02 18  Messages, Barnacles, Silence, Fish, Rotting Flesh &-1000 by Angela

Via 3 Sat Phone Conversations w/Deb

Angela says that the crew enjoys getting their messages.  They have a new practice on the Big Blue…instead of Dinner and a Movie they get a Meal and Messages.  One watch is on at 2pm and the other at 4pm.  They sit around, eat, and share messages.  So keep posting the 160 character messages to the guestbook at www.BigBlueRow.com.   There is a little delay as I send the shortened messages to the Sat Phone and then approve them so they show up on the guest book.

A few days ago, they decided they ought to check the bottom of the boat for Barnacles.  It doesn’t sound like a big thing, but it does seriously slow down the boat.  Usually a couple of times while crossing the Atlantic, it is necessary to jump in the water and physically scrape off the bottom of  the boat.  In RowofLife, Angela taped her camera to an oar so she could look at the bottom and surrounding area for sharks.  RowofLife’s anti-fouling paint was from France, where I don’t think there are as many environmental restrictions.   Very few barnacles successfully attached to the bottom of RowofLife.  Big Blue is from the US and its paint fouled far fewer barnacles.  Angela said she could feel the difference in how the boat moved through the water after they barnacle scrapping.

Running out of ways to find their Zen….several of the boys committed to 24 hours of silence.  Angela thought it sounded like a fun plan, until without their silent partners to speak with, the talking rowers found that it was their turn to complain.  Angela said she received more complaints in that 24-hour period than at any other time on the trip.  Angela was happy when the silence was over for the boys. 

I was talking to Angela on the sat phone when all of the sudden, all I could hear was Angela, screaming like a GIRL!  Then the phone hung up.  An hour or so later I got the call back with the explanation.  Angela was sitting on her bunk, all ready to go to bed, when she called me.  Her bunk is just next to the cabin door.  When I “Giant” flying fish flew through the cabin door and landed on Angela’s bed.  She was so sad that her clean bed now was slimy and smelled like fish.

Another flying fish note….There was a terrible smell on the boat.  For several days, Angela was trying to figure out where it was coming from and what it was.  More and more determined to get the smell to go away, she started tearing apart things looking for the smell.  A flying fish lodged itself under the life raft tied to the front of the boat.  Now that the fish is gone, they are back to the familiar, dirty, rotting flesh smell.

Speaking of rotting flesh, Aleksa spoke to me on the phone and described her body as a Dermatological disaster.  She says she has amazing sores all over her body.  I packed the big bottle of Antibiotic powder.

Big Blue has less than 1000 miles to go.  They should be in Port St. Charles, Barbados March 1, 2011 (maybe the 2^nd).  Friends and families are making their plans to greet the crew in Barbados.   There is a webcam at the Marina, so if you are not able to make it to Barbados, you can watch the arrival on the webcam.  http://portstcharles.com/webcam_window.php?cam=3