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Press play to start.
The 750 mark mentioned in the podcast has been well broken as they have now passed the 600 mile mark.
Bloggers, keep those positive comments, questions, jokes, comments coming!
Guy out
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
A fantastic few days as Andrew and Guy work harder than ever. The conditions are now lighter. Overnight the boys rested up well, sleep an important element of the regime onboard Flying Ferkins. Guy under continued pain in his nether regions (bloggers note: please no more ‘balls out’ on the comments! waa ha ‘bit more’). May take a chance to clean the boat as the sea calms.
A big thank you to Jackie at The White Horse Inn in Storrington, David Harding the landlord at the Boars Head Tavern, Horsham and finally to Mark Pav! All have worked hard to promote the boys efforts and generated money towards Orchid.
Distance made West:
Saturday 18th July 49nm
Sunday 19th July 34nm
Please keep those comments coming fellow blog friends.
Tom out.
Click here to donate money for the fight against the spread of male cancers and support Orchid, the boys chosen charity.
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
Hi everyone, what a tough week it’s been, rowing like bastards! We’re only getting about 6 hours off at the moment so I need to be quick, I’ve got to sleep. Hope you are all OK. Last Friday we saw a Blue Whale - the most incredible thing I have ever seen. The size of a bus, just incredible. Apart from that just been cracking on with the rowing, really excited about getting to the 1000 miles to go mark and can’t wait to get to Mauritius! Lots of positive thoughts on board. Thanks again to everyone for looking at the blog, please keep putting your messages on there - can’t wait to read them all when we get home. Just a few messages…congratulations to Mike Moss from MSS (our title sponsor) on his newborn - Andy and I are really excited for you. Trumpet- we will keep plodding on, in the style of the Berlin marathon. Dione - can’t believe you are coming out to see us in Mauritius - hearing that you were coming really put a smile on my face during my last set. Darren from Paragon - thanks for your supportive message. Fiona and Simon - thank-you again for mentioning the incredible effort our team have been making, we have got a really good group of girls helping us back home. Also thanks to Angus from Architectural Plants for your great guest blog. Can’t wait to read all of these messages when we get back! Alright guys, time for bed I think.
Guy out
Click here to donate money for the fight against the spread of male cancers and support Orchid, the boys chosen charity.
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
We met Guy and Andrew over a year ago now, back in Febuary 2008 from memory. We were very impressed with them both! In fact although they approached us with a view to direct financial sponsorship, we saw a better way to get involved.
The Great Branding Company agreed to support their ocean rowing attempt by using our expertise in clothing and merchandise. Having worked on some of the largest sporting events worldwide, such as World Cups [Football], UEFA Champions League finals, rugby, cricket, basketball and music events! For these events the Great Branding Company create merchandise that is desirable and comfortable to both event organisers and fanwear sold to the end consumer.
We have helped Guy and Andrew by providing: A selection of Quality Clothing for performances activity (training wear), Leisurewear and Promotional merchandise to be sold for fund raising.
All the clothing we have provided has been branded with the Indian Ocean Rowing logo and sponsor branding where possible as this would raise the profile / awareness when Guy and Andrew were out and about.
We discussed with them that they should create a strong brand identity and so look into creating a unique logo for the “Indian Ocean Race”, this they did and we assisted with the interpretation of the logo to be transferred onto garments.
Guy and Andrew are an inspiration to us all! They somehow continued to do their day job and trained to take on such a feat! We were delighted to contribute to helping these lads achieve their goal! I did think they were MAD to attempt such a gruelling challenge. But I think in this world a little madness goes a LONG WAY in our business so why NOT play our part in their SUCCESS !!!
Pino Grillo, Managing Director, Great Branding Company out.
Another cracking day of rowing as Andrew and Guy continue to push hard. Massive leap as the boys break the 70 longitude [wooohooo]. A South Easterly wind holding until the weekend. Flying Ferkins is traversing the Central Indian Ridge at a depth ranging from 3,500m to 1,900m. Eating really well and consequently the boat getting lighter (final beer gone down well! hehe).
Distance made West:
Wednesday 15th July 49nm
Thursday 16th July 50nm
Please keep those comments coming fellow blog friends.
Tom out.
Click here to donate money for the fight against the spread of male cancers and support Orchid, the boys chosen charity.
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
Not as sunny today but the conditions are still generally good. We are counting down the days and are pleased to be moving steadily west.
We haven’t seen any more wild life, we are still swooning over seeing the Blue Whale - which we believe could well have been the Pygmy Blue Whale that hangs out in the Indian Ocean, apparently smaller than the more commonly seen ones though at 26m average we wonder what it would have been like to see a bigger one!! Flying Ferkins is only just over 7m long!!
Thank you to you all for the continued support - we are both happy and chilled, Flying Ferkins is doing us proud and we hope this ‘downhill’ run is a speedy one!
One last thing - Happy Birthday Grannie! Nice to be able to talk to you this morning……………….!
Andrew out
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
Finally some good news. Ferkins is Flying in a Westerly direction. Para anchor currently stowed [phew]! The current and now wind are finally in Andrew and Guys favour. Presently enjoying the rowing and making 3kn in quite a strong South Easterly wind. Conditions looking favourable for the next few days.
Please keep those comments coming fellow bloggers.
Distance made West:
Mon 13th July 5nm
Tues 14th July 13nm
Tom out
Click here to donate money for the fight against the spread of male cancers and support Orchid, the boys chosen charity.
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
Andrew and Guy are experiencing so many “once in a lifetime” experiences whilst undertaking this epic journey to row the Indian Ocean and undoubtedly uncovering aspects about themselves they never knew before the 19th April 2009.
But the two years plus of preparation work has also been a journey of discovery for them, for family, friends and supporters.
Guy and I were aware that my father was one of seven children and that one of his elder brothers had “run away to sea”. Guy’s Great Uncle Captain Oswald M Watts died within a year of Guy’s birth and we knew a limited amount about his life.
Guy and I with the help of my brother Peter undertook some research and after contacting the current compilers of Reeds Nautical Almanac a chapter of his great uncle’s life began to unfold.
Captain OM Watts was one of the youngest Merchant Navy officers ever to hold a Master’s certificate, aged 23. He was the first editor of Reeds Nautical Almanac with the first edition being published on 1 January 1932 costing two shillings and six pence (12.5p). The early Almanac’s provide all the knowledge a navigator needs to pilot a vessel in the Home Trade Waters around the British Isles. Oswald continued to edit the Almanac until his retirement in 1981 and thereafter as a consultant until his death in 1985.
During the 1930’s he set up a chandlery off Piccadilly in London. Oswald also started a sea school where yachtsman could learn what they needed to know to serve in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the build up to the Second World War. In addition he ran correspondence courses for people who could not attend these courses. He wrote books on the use of the Sextant and supervised the preparation of maps in conjunction with Stanfords.
It seems unlikely that this part of Guy’s family history would have been revealed in as much detail if Guy and Andrew had not embarked on their Indian Ocean rowing challenge.
Here’s to the Flying Ferkins and Captain OM Watts!
Nigel (Guy’s dad) out.
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
A bit of an enforced rest day today - we are waiting for the westerly winds to die down later before we can make headway again to Mauritius.
It has been really overcast for the past two weeks but today the sun is shining and we are taking the opportunity to charge up all the equipment. We have had to ration water supplies as the water maker is reliant on the sun shining too, so hopefully by the end of today we will be fully charged and on our way west again.
It’s looking good for next week so we expect to see the miles dropping.
Pleased Lina your shoulder is mending. Craig hope you had a good stag do - will call Cat before the wedding, sorry not to be there.
Spirits are bouyant and we are so happy to be in the last 1000 miles - really can’t wait to get to Mauritius and see everyone.
Andrew out
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.
A big day for the boys on board Flying Ferkins. They have made a good Westerley direction today covering 46nm! However, the weather conditions are likely to be unsettled for the next 12 to 18 hours. Presently 915nm from Mauritius and sitting at 73 longitude. Still pushing hard for that 70 longitude milestone. Whilst watching an amazing sunset last night Andrew and Guy witnessed a blue whale [the size of a double decker bus] circle the boat! Unbelievable experience.
Thank you to everyone for your input and positive comments. Another BIG thank you to the Flying Ferkins Support Crew who speak to the boys daily.
Distance made West:
Saturday 11th July: 46nm
Tom out
Click here to donate money for the fight against the spread of male cancers and support Orchid, the boys chosen charity.
To follow our progress please go to the official Woodvale Challenge site.