LATEST UPDATE 30th May 0825BST
So, another dawned on the para-anchor, with little to do but enjoy the downtime. The day started off quite grey, but the sun shone through eventually, so I have replenished my water containers and charged up as many battery operated items as I can – cameras, computer, iPod. I also did a stock check of envelopes and can confirm that there are 12 envelopes left, which feel like they contain a Green & Black’s chocolate bar… 3 per month…
I have also opened some envelopes today – from Ben Goss, Chairman of Give Them a Sporting Chance. Ben gave me 125 envelopes, all containing something. As it has been a few days since I opened any, I treated myself to four. Contents being, a highlighter pen, a girly pencil (?!?!), a multi-colour pen and a quote. Good job I have a pencil case (thanks Wigs) to put all these pens etc in! (Thanks Ben 
)
You may see from the tracker that I’m heading south west and have managed to do an almost perfect circle as I loop the loop! Going SW is not where I want to go at all, but as soon as the wind allows, I will be back at the oars and will recover these miles as I head North East.
Really great to read your messages, some really do make me laugh out loud, so thank you and please do keep writing.
As May draws to a close, what are your plans for June? For those Stateside, how about we try and increase the amount raised for Operation Second Chance?
Thank you All, Charlie
LATEST UPDATE 29th May 1901BST
Well, at last, here’s the video blog from yesterday!
LATEST UPDATE 29th May 1005BST
Double bonus this morning: an iPadio phonecast from Charlie…
…plus a written blog:
A really amazing sunset yesterday as I was eating my evening meal… followed by quite a good sleep. I imagine that you’re looking at the chart thinking, “more pretty patterns by Blossom & Charlie”… and yes, it’s true. The good news is, we haven’t drifted too far away from where I dropped the para-anchor yesterday. Today has been a day of admin – washing clothes, cleaning and tidying Blossom – and resting. I’m less achy and less sore than yesterday, so recovering well and will be ready for the next rowing phase very soon. Reading more Sherlock Holmes, writing replies to messages and… opening a few envelopes. Two envelopes from my dear God daughter, Eliza Blossom (whom my boat is named after) and an envelope from lovely sister, Lizzie. In one of the envelopes from my God daughter was a dolphin, made from Chinese Red Jade. It is now secured to the ceiling of Blossom, next to St Christopher. In the envelope from my sister was a big bar of morale in the form of a Green & Black’s milk chocolate bar with crispy pieces. If you have ever seen or read Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, this to me is what Wonka’s chocolate would taste like – scrumdiddlyumptious! It’s amazing to think that while I’m out here on the Pacific Ocean, people in the UK, USA, Canada, Holland, Singapore, Australia, Egypt, Lebanon, Japan and Iraq may well be reading this. If I have missed any countries, let me know and I will give you a shout out accordingly! Hope all well with you, wherever you may be
And still to come later: the video blog with the new camera angle!
LATEST UPDATE 28th May 2230BST
Here’s Charlie’s overnight blog:
Extremely knackered… tried to get all the miles in last night, but made it to about 2200 local before I was really too tired to continue… was pushing it hard, so not surprising. I put the para-anchor out in calm seas and hit the sack. Although I was completely knackered, I found it hard to get to sleep, but once asleep, I didn’t wake until 0430, which is quite late for me here. I snoozed until 0545, then put the satcomms on and waited for Tony’s texts. I had another 18nm to go, nothing like a short sharp slap in the face on a Monday morning eh? Well, it’s not so much a slap when one realises that Tony’s trying to get me in the best possible (nearby) location before I’m faced with 56hrs of 20knot headwinds…
So, I’ve been on the oars since soon after 0600 and am knackered… although the wind is light and there are no waves to speak of, it’s still hard work trying to punch forward, although I have made progress and as I write this 1015hrs local, I still have 11.5nm to go until I reach my waypoint. Bearing in mind that the wind is due to strengthen against me at 1300, it’s unlikely that I will make the waypoint in time. So, I will push on for a bit longer, then read the messages you’ve sent through and contemplate opening a bar of Green & Black’s tomorrow…
I went back to the oars, with the sole aim of closing down on the remaining 11.5nm to my waypoint, but after a small while, my body was screaming for me to stop and rest. I was dripping with sweat, I had removed my shorts to relieve some pain from the bum sores, but it wasn’t enough… As I stopped and put the oars down, some dolphins came by, lots of them! I can only hope that this was some kind of good omen. Tomorrow is after all, another day…
I know have to get my body sorted out and hope that it will be somewhat recovered by Thursday, which is when the low pressure should have passed (if not sooner) and I can start to make progress east again. Meanwhile, I will be occupying my mind with reading my kobo, listening to music and reading your messages of support.
The video version will follow tomorrow!
LATEST UPDATE 28th May 2230BST
Here’s Charlie’s overnight blog:
Extremely knackered… tried to get all the miles in last night, but made it to about 2200 local before I was really too tired to continue… was pushing it hard, so not surprising. I put the para-anchor out in calm seas and hit the sack. Although I was completely knackered, I found it hard to get to sleep, but once asleep, I didn’t wake until 0430, which is quite late for me here. I snoozed until 0545, then put the satcomms on and waited for Tony’s texts. I had another 18nm to go, nothing like a short sharp slap in the face on a Monday morning eh? Well, it’s not so much a slap when one realises that Tony’s trying to get me in the best possible (nearby) location before I’m faced with 56hrs of 20knot headwinds…
So, I’ve been on the oars since soon after 0600 and am knackered… although the wind is light and there are no waves to speak of, it’s still hard work trying to punch forward, although I have made progress and as I write this 1015hrs local, I still have 11.5nm to go until I reach my waypoint. Bearing in mind that the wind is due to strengthen against me at 1300, it’s unlikely that I will make the waypoint in time. So, I will push on for a bit longer, then read the messages you’ve sent through and contemplate opening a bar of Green & Black’s tomorrow…
I went back to the oars, with the sole aim of closing down on the remaining 11.5nm to my waypoint, but after a small while, my body was screaming for me to stop and rest. I was dripping with sweat, I had removed my shorts to relieve some pain from the bum sores, but it wasn’t enough… As I stopped and put the oars down, some dolphins came by, lots of them! I can only hope that this was some kind of good omen. Tomorrow is after all, another day…
I know have to get my body sorted out and hope that it will be somewhat recovered by Thursday, which is when the low pressure should have passed (if not sooner) and I can start to make progress east again. Meanwhile, I will be occupying my mind with reading my kobo, listening to music and reading your messages of support.
The video version will follow tomorrow!
LATEST UPDATE 27th May 1649BST
An exhausted Charlie nevertheless lets his humour shine through, in his latest video blog:
LATEST UPDATE 27th May 1321BST
Charlie called Shore Support this morning, as usual. He’s exhausted – the first time I’ve really heard it in his voice during this voyage. He’s going for broke over the next 24 hours; putting down as much mileage as possible, in less than perfect conditions, in order to minimise the effects of the low pressure system heading his way. Some good news – forecast wind speeds are down, from the 45kts expected to less than 20kt. Here’s his latest blog, straight from the sat phone…
Wow… I remained on the para-anchor for about 24hrs while the wind was not in my favour. Rowing against the wind is pretty much pointless as a solo rower. I received the forecast from my Shore Support Team (who are doing a fantastic job!) and the forecast was for light winds, building from the West and North West. So, after using my time on the para-anchor to rest, rehydrate and have some food, at 1800hrs Saturday (local), I took to the oars once again.
With music to keep me company, I promised myself a break at 2100hrs. Pushing Blossom along at 3nm was hard work and I relished my ”nine-o’clockers” (which was porridge with strawberries). I called my Shore Support Team to let them know that the Blossom Mobile (Ocean) Disco would be closing in 3hrs and that they should get their requests in soon… Midnight couldn’t come quickly enough. Maintaining the 3nm/hr pace was hard work and I was drenched in sweat, hands, forearms, elbows, back, backside and knees all screaming at me to stop.
Around midnight, a westerly breeze was due and I hoped that this would push Blossom along (and I was hoping she would give me 10nm). 0300hrs, I checked the GPS, the westerly didn’t seem to make an appearance and I was starting to be pushed South East… by 0600, I was being pushed south. So, back to the oars now, stiff and tired… but there is a low pressure (strong headwinds) due in 30hours and I need to make as much progress east, before I have no choice but to turn North.
Thank you for your messages of support. They are really appreciated and I do enjoy reading them. Shore Support does a fantastic job in ensuring I’m able both to read them, and send out replies.
LATEST UPDATE 26th May 2030BST
Shore Support spoke to Charlie this morning, at about 1600hrs his time. Overnight (our time) he’d drifted only five miles west, which he conceded was ‘not perfect, but not too bad considering’. He’d been on para-anchor for most of the day but with the conditions switching into favour, he was preparing for a seven hour stint at the oars to take him east and back into another current – his ‘magic carpet’ – which will then take him north. At about 50 miles wide, the current won’t be hard to miss, but he needs to be as close as possible to its centre, to reduce the risk of being ‘spat out’ as the next low pressure system moves in. Having said that, provided he makes good progress into the current, there’s a strong chance he’ll be carried north and out of the worst of the weather system.
Fingers crossed – we’ll post an update from him as soon as we receive it. This current could be the one that will move him well away from this tricky area and bring him miles again…
LATEST UPDATE 25th May 2251BST
We’re running a day behind on the blogs, owing to YouTube’s little hiccup earlier in the week. So here’s the blog for 24th May – The Day It Turned From Grey To Blue. Don’t watch the second half if you’re prone to sea-sickness…
