sadielady's WunderBlog

ROZ Row CANCELLED #18
Posted by: sadielady, 9. toukokuuta 2012 klo 07:48 (GMT) +0
OAR - The Olympic Atlantic Row

200 days ago, when I wrote the last blog entry about Roz Savage as she arrived in Mauritius after rowing her third ocean, the Indian Ocean, I thought that was that - she said she had retired from ocean rowing!


"You recall that last October I retired from ocean rowing? But I did also say that I WASN’T saying "never again" – just "enough is enough – for now". Well, it seems that "for now" didn’t last very long….

Well, it seems she is about to embark on her latest adventure, rowing from Newfoundland to London, to arrive in time for the Olympics.

She has joined Andrew Martin, in a boat called Bojangles, to row the "wrong" way across the Atlantic.

She arrived in Newfoundland on Monday, after a 23 hour flight.... without her luggage! Poor girl.

At the moment both Roz and Andrew, (also called Mos), are waiting for the weather to be right for the launch.

"We are now getting daily weather updates from our weatherman Lee Bruce with a view to determining our Estimate To Depart. It’s not looking too promising at the moment, for the next 5 days at least. We need a little bit of west in the wind to help us clear dry land, and relatively light winds while we cross the notorious Grand Banks, where waves reaching the sudden shallows of the continental shelf can pile up into rough and messy sea conditions. For now the extra time on land is welcome, but if we are to arrive in London in time for the Olympics, we won’t want to wait for too long."



Link to the Twitter page

The OAR blog

Link to Roz's blog

Link to TRACKER MAP on WU


So it is time to get out your flags and shout ....

ROW ROZ ROW!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

uk vpn | desarrollo web sevilla
  Permalink | A A A
Reader Comments
Display: 0, 50, 100, 200 Sort: Newest First - Order Posted
Viewing: 1 - 23

Page: 1 — Blog Index

1. SkyBlue17 9. toukokuuta 2012 klo 09:17 (GMT)    
So, one now looks out for Roz and Mos! :))
Member Since: 16.08.2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 324
2. OGal 9. toukokuuta 2012 klo 23:20 (GMT)    



Sandi I have been watching her regular posts on FB and commenting when I have something worthwhile to say. I would not miss Roz's wrong way row for anything. What an honor to land at the 2012 Olympics in London. Thanks for your Sadielady post. We have traveled lots of miles with Roz.
Member Since: 28.08.2005 Posts: 72 Comments: 19170
3. sandiquiz 10. toukokuuta 2012 klo 06:05 (GMT)    
Hi Ogal,
Oh, Yes, we have travelled lots of miles with Roz, since the end of 2005, right around the World, almost!!

The news this morning.....

WEATHER UPDATE: Unhelpful Easterly winds off the coast of Newfoundland over the weekend. No departure for the OAR team prior to Monday.
Member Since: 29.10.2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22418
4. GardenGrrl 10. toukokuuta 2012 klo 10:15 (GMT)    
Weather and waves is going to be tough on this one. Glad she has a helper this time.
Member Since: 25.03.2007 Posts: 218 Comments: 7252
5. OGal 10. toukokuuta 2012 klo 11:59 (GMT)    

I tried to transfer one of Roz's photos. It didn't work. I just hope Roz is not tempting fate with this row. Such horrendous conditions can exist over the Grand Banks and the water is so deep an treacherous. We need to send a lot of prayers in her direction.
Member Since: 28.08.2005 Posts: 72 Comments: 19170
6. OGal 10. toukokuuta 2012 klo 12:11 (GMT)    



Just wanted to add a picture of our pretty Roz.
Member Since: 28.08.2005 Posts: 72 Comments: 19170
7. shoreacres 10. toukokuuta 2012 klo 12:43 (GMT)    
I only know two sailors personally who have made this trip - and it wasn't fun in either case. There was a lot of course adjustment going on the whole way - not so easy in a rowboat. I'm glad there's a little more muscle-power along on this one.
Member Since: 4.10.2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799
8. sandiquiz 10. toukokuuta 2012 klo 20:26 (GMT)    
From Roz's blog ....

Some stats on Atlantic rows from West to East reads like this:

Completed: 19

Incomplete: 33

Rowers lost at sea: 5

These are sobering statistics.

Even though the Newfoundlanders have been more than living up to their reputation for friendliness and hospitality, apparently in some quarters there have been mutterings about crazy adventurers heading out on hare-brained missions, only to fail and need rescuing to the great inconvenience, cost, danger, and understandable disgruntlement of the locals.
Member Since: 29.10.2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22418
9. OGal 12. toukokuuta 2012 klo 12:51 (GMT)    

An interesting tidbit from Roz.


Thought ....Here is something I’ve never had to contend with before – bergy bits. They might sound cute, but these mini-icebergs, calved from larger icebergs further north, are causing no small amount of consternation in the OAR camp.

Member Since: 28.08.2005 Posts: 72 Comments: 19170
10. shoreacres 12. toukokuuta 2012 klo 14:07 (GMT)    
Re: bergy bits - I remember now that's what they called them when I cruised Glacier Bay. The prop on the sailboat had a cage around it to keep them from doing damage.

I happened to look at Roz' twitter feed last night and discovered this tracking map, from our very own WU. I tried to find it on the site, but couldn't - I suppose it's tucked into some corner of new WU, but at least we've got the link now.
Member Since: 4.10.2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799
11. sandiquiz 13. toukokuuta 2012 klo 21:55 (GMT)    
Having a final look at Roz's blog and I see their departure date has been postponed until next Saturday at the earliest, due to the ice problem.

If they don't manage to set off next weekend they won't make it for the Olympics

:-(
Member Since: 29.10.2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22418
12. OGal 15. toukokuuta 2012 klo 11:00 (GMT)    




I hope all works out for Roz. Weather is not something she can change and the Grand Banks are known for their horrible weather. it would be sad if she couldn't make this trip. With the time frame this close I just hope she won't do something foolish. She has been so lucky on all her other rows.

I love this girl for her strength and courage so I will continue to watch.
Member Since: 28.08.2005 Posts: 72 Comments: 19170
13. OGal 16. toukokuuta 2012 klo 11:30 (GMT)    





Roz bump
Member Since: 28.08.2005 Posts: 72 Comments: 19170
14. sandiquiz 16. toukokuuta 2012 klo 13:28 (GMT)    
MAY 15th

ICE - Bad news and worse news!

"Today I went out on a plane to check out the ice situation offshore. Despite a favourable forecast, Mother Nature decided to hide her icy secrets in an extensive layer of fog. Despite being in the air for over 5 hours, the only icebergs I was able to see were within half a mile of shore. Those further offshore were shrouded in mists and mystery.

We may be able to try again later in the week, but ....."


From Twitter

Mos and Roz to take Bojangles for a water trial on Quidi Vidi lake today at 2pm.
Member Since: 29.10.2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22418
15. sandiquiz 19. toukokuuta 2012 klo 21:16 (GMT)    
May 17th Roz's blog

She went out to see the ice that is holding up the start of the row -

We saw many of these fragments today, drifting downwind of the bigger bergs that spawned them. They came in all kinds of shapes, many of them sharply irregular, sticking up from the ocean in strange shapes like witches’ hats or swans or sharks’ fins.

In a few weeks’ time these fragments will be gone. Maybe even their parents bergs will have melted away. We could see the meltwater pouring off them today in waterfalls cascading down their sides. They are diminishing rapidly.


The Big Berg
But we have an immovable deadline to get to London before the start of the Olympics – or at the latest before I have to go to Yale for the start of the semester in mid-August. The clock is ticking.


Member Since: 29.10.2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22418
16. sandiquiz 19. toukokuuta 2012 klo 21:17 (GMT)    
19th May ....
From the OAR blog -

DEPARTURE UPDATE: OAR team will not be leaving from St John's tomorrow as hoped
Member Since: 29.10.2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22418
17. shoreacres 20. toukokuuta 2012 klo 12:12 (GMT)    
Gosh, I just hate this for her. Obviously, it doesn't take Titanic-sized icebergs to cause trouble for a rowboat. I wish I could send them some of our unusual warmth - those bergy bits would be gone, pronto!
Member Since: 4.10.2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799
18. sandiquiz 20. toukokuuta 2012 klo 17:15 (GMT)    
OAR race cancelled !!

... If you've been following my blog over the last couple of weeks you will have noticed our growing concern about the unusually large quantities of ice off the coast of Newfoundland, largely due to the huge chunk of ice that broke off a Greenland glacier 2 years ago which has now drifted south into Canadian waters, breaking up into a minefield of icebergs as it goes.

Given our immovable deadline of reaching London in time for the start of the Olympics, we unfortunately don't have the option to wait until the ice dissipates, which will take another couple of weeks at least. After much soul searching, it is with regret that we have come to the difficult decision to postpone our row for this year. The chances of hitting ice - and the serious consequences of a punctured hull in freezing North Atlantic waters - meant that the risk to our safety was simply unacceptable.
I weighed up the pros and cons of carrying on with the row. There were 7 points on each side. But when one of the 'con' points is 'risk of death significantly higher than anticipated', you really have to give that one a higher weighting.

One of the most agonising aspects of this decision was the huge amount of support we have received from our many friends and sponsors who have contributed time, energy, money, and provisions to our project. We struggled with this, feeling we owed it to our supporters to complete what we set out to do. But as the chances of a successful completion dwindled, we concluded that our supporters would probably prefer to see us exercise our professional judgement rather than persevere against the odds. We would have loved to share a glorious success story with you, but hope that you will understand and respect our reasons.
Member Since: 29.10.2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22418
19. sadielady 20. toukokuuta 2012 klo 17:20 (GMT)    
Poor Roz :(

Personally, I think they have made the right decision.
There are only 69 days before the opening ceremony, which isn't enough time in the grand scheme of things, and the ice puts their lives at risk.
Member Since: 24.10.2006 Posts: 10 Comments: 145
20. SkyBlue17 21. toukokuuta 2012 klo 08:32 (GMT)    
Definitely the right decision!
Member Since: 16.08.2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 324
21. GardenGrrl 21. toukokuuta 2012 klo 15:24 (GMT)    
I've always thought Roz to be a tich crazy doing her rows across the ocean. So If Roz thinks it's too dangerous, it is definitely too dangerous.
Member Since: 25.03.2007 Posts: 218 Comments: 7252
22. OGal 21. toukokuuta 2012 klo 15:53 (GMT)    




Just listened to her pod cast. Such a smart decision for so many reasons. Roz loves adventure but she is not going to take any crazy chances. Way to go Roz. You will have more rowing in your life and aonher adventure is just around the corner.
Member Since: 28.08.2005 Posts: 72 Comments: 19170
23. shoreacres 21. toukokuuta 2012 klo 16:21 (GMT)    
Got to wonder if her decision would be the same if she didn't have a rowing partner. I'm glad she had a "committee" for this decision.
Member Since: 4.10.2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799

Viewing: 1 - 23

Page: 1 — Blog Index

New Comment
Community Standards Policy Comments will take a few seconds to appear.
Post Your Comments
Please sign in to post comments.
Not only will you be able to leave comments on this blog, but you'll also have the ability to upload and share your photos in our Wunder Photos section.
About sadielady
Sadielady is the alternate handle for Sandiquiz. In this blog, since 2005, I have followed the Ocean rower, Roz Savage, on her travels.

Recent Photos
Quasnaine Bay A bit choppy?
St Peter's Dam  
Community Activity