I can’t really say that I can work out what is going on with Michelle at the moment.
I have had a couple of conversations with her over the past week and I know that her five day lock up in the cabin ended up being closer to 8 or 9 days. Cyclone Gabriel has played havoc with her rowing, in fact stopped it for some time, and forced her into the confines of her cabin whilst it travelled between her and the Australian East coast.
I know she was back on the oars as of yesterday, albeit in the rain and in full wet weather gear. That doesn’t explain the path she has been on. I can only image the wind, waves and currents have had a say in where she would travel over the past week. I have no doubt that Roger is carefully guiding her in order to stay safe.
These are her thoughts from a few days back..
12th February – So I’ve been locked in my cabin for 6 days now, on a storm drogue whilst Cyclone Gabriel that has come across the coast of Australia is creating very big seas and conditions that are not worthy of rowing.
The wind is shifting around. So the best thing I can do is to put the drogue out and wait the whole system out until its finished. Its a very slow-moving system. It was supposed to be 4 days in the cabin, but it’s now looking like 8 days in the cabin. I just hope my body goes right back into enjoying being on the oars for 10-12 hours a day after all this rest.
With all this time in my cabin, I know the inside of my cabin very well. If you can imagine, climbing under your bed and spend 6 days under your bed, well this experience has been just like that! Like sitting underneath your bed for six days.
I’ve managed to play my ukulele lying down. I listen to many meditations and shuffle things around my cabin as I prep myself for getting back to land.
Occasionally, I can get out of the cabin, and I’ll go and do some manual work like make water and sort things out on deck. I’ve got so much energy to burn.
There was a bit of rearranging of the boat as well, so I have enough food accessible from my cabin. Thank goodness for the satellite phone so I can call people.
Other than that, I’ve just been lying around resting, reading, and hydrating.
If it wasn’t for this storm that I’m in, I reckon I’d only have about 500 miles to go. I would have been home by the end of February. I have been blessed though. Every time there’s been a hurricane or cyclone, I seem to be at the right place at the right time to let it pass by.
I had 5 hurricanes across the coast of Mexico I dodged, 1 cyclone earlier up the coast, and now another one just happening around me. I’m definitely being looked after out here.
I just had to give myself an attitude adjustment the other day and I had to sit here and think about the good things.
They far outweighed the bad things…so I’ve been in a good mind frame ever since
Despite all this lack of activity while I lie in my cabin all day, I’m still sleepy at night. As soon as the sun goes down, my melatonin kicks in and I sleep really well.
As for my bearings, I’m about 1300 miles from Sydney, and about 950 miles from Brisbane… so close I’m starting to let my headspace think about and start planning coming into land, what it might look like, what it might feel like, the people I’m looking forward to seeing, the things I’m looking forward to doing. Not long now….
Track Michelle here : https://yb.tl/greatpacificrow22
Michelle is grateful to all her sponsors;
The Quays Marina LTD Southern Seas Marine Dunbier Trailers Fibre Marine Boat Repairs Simrad Yachting Survitec Group Ltd. Deep Cycle Systems Chief Nutrition Speedo Sharkskin Tiller and Kites CAMPERS PANTRY Pty Ltd Crewsaver Australia One Party Silva Method Australia
