By It’s day 3 already and for once we’ve covered over 100miles! Yey! Not sure how long these conditions of prevailing winds and currents will last, so we’re making the most of it while it’s here. If only the whole journey had been like this, we’d be home chatting to you all about it over a brew and biscuit by now! However, we also wouldn’t have experienced the challenges that we have had and overcome, the place where you learn the most about yourself and your team mates. Without a doubt, getting through the struggles has brought us closer together as a team.
With 3 days past already, it seems like this leg may fly by. Why is it when you want it to go quickly (leg 2) it takes forever, then when you want to savour every moment, time flies!
Leaving Samoa I had a sudden sense of feeling very overwhelmed. The realisation that this would be the last time to step onto Doris, the last time we will arrive and row out of a harbour, the last time to be counting down the days to Australia. We SHOULD now only have just 2 months to go on this epic journey and for me my target for this leg is to stay more in the moment, to soak it all up and build more amazing memories. The past 2 legs I would say I have spent about a 1/3 in the moment and 2/3 planning for what needs to be done in Hawaii/ Samoa/ Cairns/ arrival back home/ work etc. So this leg, I am making a conscious effort to switch that ratio to appreciate where we are and what we are doing, I certainly don’t plan on ever repeating this journey again!
As the girls have mentioned in previous blogs, Samoa really is a beautiful place, the people, the culture, the way of living – it’s so simple. I know we’ve mentioned many a thank you to the wonderful people that opened their homes to us, gave us treatments and food, but today I wanted to say thank you to Wendy and Ian. Wendy and Ian left Samoa the same day we did, on their beautiful catamaran. On the morning we left, they gave us some fresh papaya and mangoes to have on Doris. I can’t believe we hadn’t thought of doing that before! Usually we’re straight into our snack packs and freeze dried, but this definitely made our day. Such flavoursome fruit as a dessert after a curry, perfect!
Update:
Meggy has been a superstar and just gets stuck in and well integrated immediately. She’s on rotation with Ems but then I’m next and I can’t wait to hear new life stories, so exciting! She’s not moaned once about feeling sea sick and is doing all she can to prevent it. Definitely a great addition to the team who shares in our values.
Nat and I had a telephone interview with Phil Williams on BBC Five Live, which still fascinates me how good comms are from the middle of the Pacific. Makes you feel so close to home even though we’re the opposite of the world and in a different hemisphere.
Great progress ladies, you need to slow down a bit. This is the conundrum, we want you to arrive safely and speedily at Cairns but! Don’t want this extraordinary adventure to end. There has never been any doubt about your new crew members, blending in, Lizanne shone the moment she came on the scene and Meg is doing exactly the same. They have had extremely experienced mentors to guide them. I have enjoyed this incredible journey with you ladies, mine being the comfortable and non energetic part. You light up a lot of peoples days with your reports, your humour and general niceness
I accidentally sent my unfinished response, before the important bit. Stay safe. XX
your doing good just take things slow and you will get there remember these words I can I must I will don forget the angel that is watching over you xxx
AMAZING………………… what else is there to say ! Listened to you on the radio last night I am in awe of all of you
what a challenge………………. your nearly there, well done ladies, huge hugs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Your post doen’t surprise me. You are all so busy with your well oiled routines on board that you have not been able to give time to the wider picture and, as you said, of ‘being in the moment’. Now the realisation that only 1/3 of your expedition remains has made you want to bulk up your memories and experiences and get the real feel of the whole – a different point of perspective. 100 miles in 3 days is brilliant – long may that last! Again the successful integration of Meg into the team is further proof of the professional manner in which this expedition has been set up. Keep safe – with you all the way.
Sounds as though the journey so far has gone exactly as planned, let’s hope it continues. Keep safe and we look forward to many more blogs from you all.
Great progress well done. It looks on this journey that you have more islands to contend with. Which side of Fiji and New Caledonia do you intend to go? What made you chose Cairns – is that the nearest landfall?
Hi Laura, another optimistic, inspiring and interesting blog.☺ It’s great to hear things are going so well at the moment and Meg has settled in so quickly. You are right about mindfulness. Life passes by so quickly we do all need to stop and smell the roses ( or in your case the tang of the sea!)
to really internalise the experience. Not that this is a journey you are ever likely to forget! Fair winds and God speed you all safely to Cairns xxxx
Hi Lloyd, are we going to meet discretely on here ? No one will ever know…..are you going to use yr extensive contacts to arrange mass media coverage in Oz ? Borrow a boat and sail out to meet them ? Be interesting to learn if any media coverage in Oz already ? Diageo could host the welcome party ? Hope u all well. Thanks for the email.
Now, back to the crew. Can one of the blogs cover the Ocean from here to Cairns ? Many more islands, and it looks generally shallower ( what do I know ? ). Does that (generally) mean flatter seas ? Are the islands a risk ? Presumably there are complex reefs, certainly as you get close to the GBR ?
Hope Meg settling in, sickness wise. Has it come back to haunt L ? Looking forward to another update, every time I look you seem to be doing 1.9 knots and higher