Wow…what a welcome!

The Team By

Wow…what a welcome

Isn’t it amazing that for the first time in 96 days we manage to find a helpful current, a kind wind and to consistently be travelling at a steady 2.2 knots an hour on our approach to Samoa and we get told that we need to slow down!! We knew that the lovely Sarah Moshman was going to come out to greet us with Tony and Meg and the boat that they would be travelling in would only be able to meet us at 9.30 am. We had originally anticipated our arrival to be sunrise, so we had to slow ourselves down considerably.

Our arrival reception in Apia was mind blowing. We could not have had a more perfect welcome if we had planned it ourselves. The beautiful Gaualofa (traditional twin hulled sailing canoe) crewed by the Samoan Voyaging Society escorted us passed the reefs to the harbour entrance, where a group of local outrigger canoeists took over the baton to show us the way to the pontoon where we would be mooring.

We had to wait a little longer than when in Hawaii to do our group step off the boat as we needed to complete immigration formalities before they would allow us into Samoa. Once done…we were adorned with garlands and flower crowns and then wobbled unsteadily to the Fishing Club where they had organised a traditional Samoan breakfast and press reception!! It was all a little overwhelming. We received the most moving welcome speech by the Honorary UK Consul Brenda Heather Latu who actually managed to move all of us to tears with her beautiful and humbling words.

Rona from Palusami restaurant also treated us to a wonderful tasty steak lunch and then we headed to Riverside B&B where we are being hosted while we are here on the island. A huge thank you to Sylvia for giving us the opportunity to all be under one roof and to Nicola and Rory Mills for coordinating our arrival reception with the great support of Digicel.

Samoa has captured our hearts instantly. The beautiful island, the welcoming people, the incredible culture that has a deep oceanic connection.

We couldn’t be in a more perfect place right now to rest and recover the best we can over the next week.

THE AMAZING

To see Tony, Sarah and Meg!!
To have the most incredible traditional welcome
To eat fresh food and drink cold drinks
To finally see the Trailer!
To see our support video by the wonderful Kylie Minogue
To arrive into Samoa in the morning and be on the local TV news in the evening
To have a double bed each to sleep in tonight
To have had the most incredible support from everyone mentioned above

THE WORRYING

How much hair came out in the shower
How rough and damaged our skin feels
How quickly the last nearly 100 days at sea seems like it didn’t really happen
How much has to get done in the next 7 days

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22 Comments

  1. Watched and waited for news of your safe arrival last night and felt quite teary. It’s been a roller coaster on land here too, following your daily updates and willing you to get there. You are amazing and your courage and determination an example to us all, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS and now take time to rest and recover xx

  2. Andy says:

    Again huge congratulations ladies X

    Maybe you should try some ‘oka’ in case you manage to catch a fish on the next leg; it may be better than your version of curry.
    Glad to see you have a double bed each, and as tired as you probably are after that heroic effort, I would be interested to know if you manage uninterrupted sleep.

    PS…get to work on the snack packs now and stack em high.

    Andy x

  3. pete mewton says:

    WowhoooowooOa!
    You’ve made to Samoa
    And what a welcome they did show ya.
    Because, girls Samoa and the Worlda knowa
    That you are some ‘ansome rowas.
    A mega well done from me.

  4. Jim Andrews says:

    WOW! Just relish every moment, like you need telling that! You deserve every accolade every moment of luxury afforded you. You need to heal and restock your energy levels in preparation for what I think will be psychologically and probably physically the toughest leg. My terms of admiration are exhausted. I just wish all that is good for all of you. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. XX

  5. JG says:

    Fabulous! I imagine the Samoans are as excited to have you there as you are to be there. Now you have to remember to rest and pamper yourselves. Your achievement is huge and you been so professional our admiration for you grows daily. Have fun.

  6. Chrissi says:

    Shoutout of huge respect for the team, you’ve proven once again how strong women are.
    Well done on this huge achievement. Rest and eat well, and be super proud of yourselves and each other.

  7. Respect respect respect! You are just awesome. I have been so moved by your amazing efforts, your honesty, your resilience and your collective sustained sense of humour. Relax, relax, relax, enjoy the moment!

  8. Well Done girls just brilliant,so pleased for you,my mum sends you her love and thinks you are all brave and couragious girls.have a beer a few more steaks and pizza,you make us back in Cornwall very very proud.

  9. Lorraine says:

    Very well done again! Such an amazing thing you have done. Enjoy every minute of your stop over and fill up your fuel tanks with lovely food.

  10. Jules says:

    well done ladies sterling effort we salut you x

  11. Esther B says:

    After being away from a computer for the weekend, I had everything crossed that when I checked your progress on Monday it would be good news – and it is the BEST news!! Well done girls, what you have achieved really is unbelievably, both physically and emotionally, and all for the benefit of other people. You are all so special.

    Thanks to Lizanne for her wonderful blogs on this leg, I’m sure it won’t become real until she waves you off when you leave for Cairns. What an amazing story to tell everyone.

    And hello Meg! We all look forward to hearing all about your experiences on board Doris.

    Love to all and a big hug for Laura xxx

  12. Delighted to hear of your safe arrival. Many many congratulations!

    All at Rossiters

  13. Jan R says:

    Fantastic news, what an amazing feat! Leg 2 was so tough, and yet you did so admirably well! Your stories are better than any novel and provide constant motivation to be at your best always! Now take some time to relax and sleeeeeep… and shower! xxxx

  14. Tania B says:

    Congratulations! Was so excited to see that you have arrived in Samoa. I’m one of the many who has been silently reading your bog every day (since hearing about your journey). I check in every night to see where you are and how things are going. It’s become my daily ritual and I feel that I’ve got to know you, although we’ve never met.
    Enjoy your time in Samoa; refresh, relax and recharge. I look forward to reading your ongoing adventure.
    With my deepest respect and admiration x

  15. kim says:

    congratulations girls. an incredible achievement

  16. Antonia says:

    You are all just brilliant. Be mindful, and soak yourself with enjoyment of this fleeting and unreal-feeling rest before the big one!
    ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.’

    You mean a lot to a bunch of complete strangers- be happy!!

    Antonia xx

  17. Christine says:

    Hurrah!!!!!
    So relieved for you all, I don’t know about you but I was beginning to think Samoa was just a mirage!
    So proud of you- don’t know what I am going to do at night now with no pink dots to trace!
    WELL DONE GIRLS!!! XXXX

  18. Did you ever think Samoa was a step to far. .my heartfelt congratulations on your land fall .
    Having read all your emails I know how you have suffered in mind and physically .
    Will you have enough R and R in Samoa ?
    You girls did good .
    John Pennington

  19. Anna C says:

    Fantastic news! I hope that we’ll get to see the video footage of your first steps on land after so long. Did you get that wobbly drunken feeling again? What did fresh food taste like after all that beef curry? Did you manage to stay asleep for more than 2 hours? Lots of questions for answers to be supplied only when you have some spare time, which I expect will not be while you are on land.
    Enjoy the week!
    Anna, Marius and the Redd team

  20. So relieved for you, such an achievement. Forgotten that you could zoom right on on the ‘Where is Doris map’ but spent Sunday clicking and refreshing and re-zooming in to see your mile by mile progress. When the last plot showed you had rowed over dry land to a point in the middle of the harbour and were still making 1.6 knots but not moving we guessed you must be there. Then the blog & FB confimed it HOOORAY !!!
    Have a wonderful break. We will all be with you on the last leg. xxxxx

  21. Ginny H says:

    Ladies, you are super-amazing! Congrats to each of you for reaching land fall in Samoa & a well deserved lay-over. My husband and I have followed your journey ever since hearing you speak at the Presidio YC in Sausalito & he was so fascinated by your adventure that he even went to the harbor to see you off! We’ve affectionately named you the “ocean divas” :-) & I look forward to coming home from work most days to read your latest postings that Rick has called up on the computer. Wishing you good weather as you set out on leg 3 of the journey. Can’t wait to see the documentary when it becomes available!

  22. Allen says:

    Hi Ladies. Very well done. I am full of pride that you have completed this leg
    Glad that you are safe.

    Allen

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