Tuesday, June 19, 2007

PART 10: Landfall Photos - Miss Olive resting

19 June, 07 – 14.39 GMT    
Continued from the previous page.

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Photo 1: MISS OLIVE resting on Jabberwaki Beach

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Photo 2: MISS OLIVE resting on Jabberwaki Beach

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Photo 3: WALKING AWAY: with the rudder in the hand. Miss Olive being towed away (background) to Camp Blizzard Military Base.

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Darkwood beach, Antigua

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Coconut Grove beach, Dickinson Bay, Antigua

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Antigua Defence Force, Chief Of Staff & Comanding Officer, Coastguard

(For assistance with co-ordinating my arrival, many thanks to Maurice Merchant - Office of the Prime Minister, Antigua and; Barbuda, Jonathan - ABSAR,HeadofChancery, Guyana and; Embassy, Sweden, Captain Nicholas, Commanding Officer, Antigua and; Barbuda Coast Guard. Photos taken by Ted Martin, Antigua.)

My contacts in Antigua:
OR at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina and; Resort
http://www.aycmarina.com/
Land: +1268 460 1544 , Room 25.
Mobile: +1268 772 9605.
(or + 268 772 9605 from the US)
mail@bhavik.com

 

My news updates will resume at www.bhavik.com.
Thanks to everyone for the support and following my Atlantic row.

PART 9: Landfall Photos - People and; Press

19 June, 07 – 14.39 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W

Continued from the previous page.

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Photo 1: WITH JONATHAN FROM ABSAR (Antigua Barbuda Search And Rescue) and the broken rudder.

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Photo 2: MISS OLIVE on Jabberwaki Beach

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Photo 3: TRIP ODOMETER: Stands at 3456 nautical miles

PART 8: Landfall Photos - People and; Press

19 June, 07 – 14.38 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W

Continued from the previous page.

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Photo 1: PRESS

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Photo 2: PRESS

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Photo 3: PEOPLE

PART 7: Landfall Photos - People and; Press

19 June, 07 – 14.38 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W

Continued from the previous page.

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Photo 1: ARMED FORCES: Army Chief and personnel at Military Camp Blizzard, where my boat is presently moored.

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Photo 2: INTERVIEW FOR TV

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Photo 3: PRESS

PART 6: Landfall Photos - People

19 June, 07 – 14.37 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W

Continued from the previous page.

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Photo 1: A CLEAN TSHIRT: I'd used all the clothes on board to soaking up water from the leak. A special thanks, Maurice Merchant from the Prime Ministers office for bringing a clean shirt along for me :)

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Photo 2: MINISTER OF TOURISM

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Photo 3: A BOOK GIFTED BY THE PRIME MINISTER

PART 5: Landfall Photos - 17.36 GMT

19 June, 07 – 14.36 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W


Continued from the previous page.

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Photo 1: ONE FOOT ON: Photo taken by Ted Martin at 17.36 GMT. 106 days, 09 hrs, 30 mins. 6393 kms (3456 nautical miles) from El Hierro, Canary Islands.

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Photo 2: ITS OVER.

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Photo 3: MINISTER OF SPORTS: Winston Williams
(For assistance with co-ordinating my arrival, many thanks to Maurice Merchant - Office of the Prime Minister, Antigua and; Barbuda, Jonathan - ABSAR,HeadofChancery, Guyana and; Embassy, Sweden, A.Kelkar, S. Ambani, V. Tewani, Captain Nicholas, Commanding Officer, Antigua and; Barbuda Coast Guard. Photos taken by Ted Martin, Antigua.)
My contacts in Antigua:
OR at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina and; Resort
http://www.aycmarina.com/
Land: +1268 460 1544 , Room 25.
Mobile: +1268 772 9605.
(or + 268 772 9605 from the US)
mail@bhavik.com

PART 4: Landfall Photos - Off the reef, Onto beach

19 June, 07 – 14.35 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W

Continued from the previous page.

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Photo 1: OFF THE REEF: Pulling on just the starboard oar to turn it away from other rocks.

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Photo 2: JABBERWOCK BEACH: Finally got the boat off the reef and towards a patch of beautiful white sand inbetween the corral reef.

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Photo 3: TOUCHDOWN: Hard to stand up. Hurting from stomach cramps from working just one side of the body to escape the reef. Trying to walk. Jonathan from ABSAR - welcomes me on shore.
(For assistance with co-ordinating my arrival, many thanks to Maurice Merchant - Office of the Prime Minister, Antigua and; Barbuda, Jonathan - ABSAR,HeadofChancery, Guyana and; Embassy, Sweden, A.Kelkar, S. Ambani, V. Tewani, Captain Nicholas, Commanding Officer, Antigua and; Barbuda Coast Guard. Photos taken by Ted Martin, Antigua.)
My contacts in Antigua:
OR at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina and; Resort
http://www.aycmarina.com/
Land: +1268 460 1544 , Room 25.
Mobile: +1268 772 9605.
(or + 268 772 9605 from the US)
mail@bhavik.com

PART 3: Landfall Photos - W.W.R.D.D?

19 June, 07 – 14.19 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W


Continued from the previous page.
Photo 1: TRYING TO STAY OFF: I finally turned the bow around, working just one oar with both hands. Desperatly trying to steer it away from the reef. My hands clawed up and had severe stomach cramps. With every second, the wind pushed the boat further onto the reef.
Photo 2: HIT THE REEF: A lot of conflicting directions from the coastguard and the photographers on the location of the corral underneath. I could not see the corral as my back was towards the front, trying to row away. The bottom of the boat finally struck the reef.
Photo 3: TRYING TO ROW OFF: An officer from the coast guard jumped and started swimming towards the boat to help with getting it off the reef. Unfortunately he got into trouble in the water and had to be rescued (not shown here). Trying to push the boat off the reef with the oar and row onto the beach in instead (Plan C) of the pier at Military Camp Blizzard. Photographers, Press and TV taking photos of me stuck on the reef and the coast guard trying to save the coast guard.
What Would Robert De Nero Do?
(For assistance with co-ordinating my arrival, many thanks to Maurice Merchant - Office of the Prime Minister, Antigua and; Barbuda, Jonathan - ABSAR,HeadofChancery, Guyana and; Embassy, Sweden, A.Kelkar, S. Ambani, V. Tewani, Captain Nicholas, Commanding Officer, Antigua and; Barbuda Coast Guard. Photos taken by Ted Martin, Antigua.)
My contacts in Antigua:
OR at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina and; Resort
http://www.aycmarina.com/
Land: +1268 460 1544 , Room 25.
Mobile: +1268 772 9605.
(or + 268 772 9605 from the US)
mail@bhavik.com

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PART 2: Landfall Photos - steering past reef

19 June, 07 – 13.53 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W


Continued from the previous page.
It was very tough trying to row the boat in an adverse SE side wind. 80% of the boat is out of the water, so its very sensitive to wind direction.
Photo 1: CLEARER AND CLEARER: One of those moments - watching trees and grass appear after 3 months of blue sky and water.
Photo 2: BUILDINGS: The tower like structure visible is that of an abandoned sugar cane processing mill on the island. Steering for Military Camp Blizzard
Photo 3: TURNING THE BOW: Trying to make it to channel markers. Fighting to turn the bow towards the white building (Marina at Military Camp Blizzard). Broken rudder visible at the stern. Its come off the last bit of lashing. The dark patches of water, seen in this photo is the corral reef. A few inches below the surface.
I was a little stressed. The wind was blowing the boat sideways onto the reef. It's very difficult to see where the boat is going while seated in a rowing position because the back is turned towards the front. (Hard to believe I've traveled backwards for 3000 miles across the Atlantic and had problems 500 ft from land).
People swimming on the beach looking on. Quite a show.
(For assistance with co-ordinating my arrival, many thanks to Maurice Merchant - Office of the Prime Minister, Antigua and; Barbuda, Jonathan - ABSAR,HeadofChancery, Guyana and; Embassy, Sweden, A.Kelkar, S. Ambani, V. Tewani, Captain Nicholas, Commanding Officer, Antigua and; Barbuda Coast Guard. Photos taken by Ted Martin, Antigua.)
My contacts in Antigua:
OR at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina and; Resort
http://www.aycmarina.com/
Land: +1268 460 1544 , Room 25.
Mobile: +1268 772 9605.
(or + 268 772 9605 from the US)
mail@bhavik.com

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Photo 1:Click to enlarge

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Photo 2:Click to enlarge

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Photo 3:Click to enlarge

PART 1: Landfall Photos and; recap - in sight, change of port

19 June, 07 – 07.17 GMT    
17.1218N,61.4120W


Hello from English Harbour Antigua!
wow! It takes 1 month at sea to miss life on land. And just 1 day on land to miss life at sea.
I set foot no land at 5.36 pm local time, at Jabberwok beach, next to military camp Blizzard, on the North East tip of the island. The clock stood at 106 days, 9 hrs 30 minutes. The odometer on the GPS stood at 3456 nautical miles (6393 kms).
Very mixed emotions being back on land. I'm making wobbly but fast recovery from life at sea but also missing the peace and freedom. Getting used to walking and the sores are subsiding. Here is a quick re-cap of my arrival in Antigua.
A number of overwhelming moments during my last few hours at sea.
Rowing in the darkness and watching a dull red glowing cloud, reflecting the lights of Antigua, appear on the horizon. The appearence of the strobe light high on the hills of Antigua. Stressing about hitting the reefs in the dark. Slowing the boat down with the sea anchor. Waiting for day light watching the boat drift closer and closer to shore as it dragged anchor. The first radio contact with land in the dark, on VHF. Rain. Then sunrise in the moring revealing Antigua covered in low clouds. Rain again. Watching clouds drift over the island. Then drift off the hills again. Watching the tops of buildings appear. Then trees. Seeing the first humans - coast guard officers - that came to escort me in. Finally the white sand the overwhelming smell of smoke, trees, flowers and land. Trying to make it into camp Blizzard. Pushed onto the reef by the winds. Trying to steer away. Hitting the reef. Coast guard officer getting into trouble in the water. Rowing the boat off the reef. Rowing it onto the white sand beach. Touching ground.
PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE
The conditions were tough. The weather refused to play ball. I spent 7 hard hours in the afternoon sun trying to row due South in South East headwinds in an effort to row into English Harbour, completing my row from land to land. It was hot, humid. I was tired. thirsty. Each time I stopped to drink water, I'd watch the numbers on the GPS change as the wind pushed the boat towards the North costing me hard earned progress.
There is nothing worse that rowing the same piece of ocean twice.
After speaking over the radio with ABSAR, I finally changed strategy and set course for CampBlizzard, a military base on the North East tip.
(For assistance with co-ordinating my arrival, many thanks to Maurice Merchant - Office of the Prime Minister, Antigua and; Barbuda, Jonathan - ABSAR,HeadofChancery, Guyana and; Embassy, Sweden, A.Kelkar, S. Ambani, V. Tewani, Captain Nicholas, Commanding Officer, Antigua and; Barbuda Coast Guard)
My contacts in Antigua:
OR at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina and; Resort
http://www.aycmarina.com/
Land: +1268 460 1544 , Room 25.
Mobile: +1268 772 9605.
(or + 268 772 9605 from the US)
mail@bhavik.com

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Last few hrs rowing:Click to enlarge

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Hot and humid. Rowing all afternoon against the wind:Click to enlarge

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Antigua visible in a distance, over the bow:Click to enlarge