2011 02 27—Mini Blogs From Several Days by Aleksa

2011 02 27—Mini Blogs From Several Days by Aleksa

Via Brother (Tomas) Report on Facebook

2/21/11--Brother Report: This is from Aleksa: “Very special thanks to friends and family for all the texts today! Total morale boost while trying to deal with these ridiculous sores! Love you all!”

2/23/11—Brother Report: Aleksa has been rocking the Captain Underpants look for over a month now.  And she wants everyone to keep texting her!  “Everyday (sic) the messages are like Christmas!”

2/24/11—Brother Report: Aleksa says unto me: “Enjoying possibly one of the only times in my life where I’ll see so many stars so far away from any light.  So many that the Milky Way blends in! Things like this make all the hard parts worth it.  Wish everyone back home could be here to see what a truly amazing world we live in J. Song of the night:Find Yourself”

2/25/11—Brother Report: Aleksa has decided to name her bum sore, Petunia.  Petunia apparently going to be partying like a rock star for the next 5 to 6 days.  The sheepskin butt pad also went overboard. “Fail.”

2/17/11—Brother Report: “The water is warmer, the dorados are friendlier, and the dolphins are back! Less than 350 miles to go!  PS: Excited to  come home!” 9 days until return to USA.

2011 02 22 Audio Blog by Margaret

2011 02 22   Audio Blog by Margaret

Via www.margaretbowling.wordpress.com

Audio Blog by Margaret

Click above

01/18/11—Blog from Aleksa

01/18/11—Blog from Aleksa

via her Brother on Facebook

Brother Report: On the way down to Tarfaya, Aleksa saw a Minke whale breach right by the boat, saw a Finback whale swim by, and was followed by maybe 100ish dolphins, including baby dolphins, who would race ahead of the boat and then watch it go past. Aleksa is now out in the ocean, and reports come in slowly. The Brother will update as news comes in.

2010 12 30—Blog By Margaret

2010 12 30—Blog By Margaret

Copied from http://margaretbowling.wordpress.com/

On Christmas Eve I received an email saying simply “do you still want to row?” Over the course of the skipper’s seemingly endless and very fraught week-long journey through New York blizzards and via Casablanca (which resulted in a loss of power to all of her communications equipment) I finally realised that the offer of a seat on the 16-man Atlantic Ocean rowing speed record attempt crew departing from Morocco on the 8th of January was for real and so of course I said yes. Having failed to gain an official record as first Australian woman to row an ocean in 2007/2008 when we were assisted I figured it’s high time I gave it another go! The skipper, Angela Madsen, was amongst my oppo in the last race. She has since become a good friend and I couldn’t think of anyone better to be on a boat with. We’ll be joined by a largely North American crew so if I end up with some sort of weird Aussie/Brit/Yankee accent you can blame them (at least in part). I will keep you all updated on progress as I go along. So far my friends have really stepped up to the plate and the support has been absolutely incredible. I know it will continue throughout the journey and I couldn’t do it without the countless people who are rallying around helping me get ready. Thank you to all of them.

Dylan and Zack Interviewed about Big Blue Row

Dylan and Zach Interviewed about Big Blue Row
***Click link above*** 

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

Roc Expeditions--Big Blue Row from Morocco to Barbados Jan. 2011

Big Blue and her crew of 16 will depart Morocco in early January 2011 and arrive in Barbados less than 33 days later to claim the fastest Atlantic crossing by OAR.  No motors or sails, Big Blue is entirely human powered.  The crew of 16 will row 2 hours on and 2 hours off, for the nearly 800 hours they are at sea.