Day 50 – 50 days in Solitary, mental health

19 Apr, 07 – 21.30    
16.3350N,39.1309W
24 hr progress: 32.7 Nautical Miles
Distance to Antigua: 2499 Nautical Miles
Distance left to Antigua (straight line): 1297 Nautical Miles ( 2399 km) (1 NM = 1.85 km)
Wave height: 8-10 ft, Winds: 20 knots NE, Bearing: 260-270 degrees.

Rowin, rowing n 'mo rowin...like its going out of fashion. The progress is back in the 30's and on schedule for crossing the half way point day after and crossing the longitude of 40 degrees W. My other big motivator is that at 40 degrees W, I turn my Pilot Chart of the Atlantic over and Antigua will finally be in sight. This will make an end in sight look more realistic.
The wind has been 20 knots, causing large long waves that look like a range of water mountains. By now, I have well mastered the skill of surfing down the waves, ie. wait till wave raises the boat and when the boat is just at the crest, I give a few strong pulls on the oar, just enough to tip the boat over and surf 15 feet down the other side of the wave. It gradually becomes more fun once you have figured out how to stay on the rowing seat without being thrown across the deck.
Many people have been asking me about my mental state of mind and how I am dealing with the loneliness and solitary confinement, hallucinations, boredom etc.
Well, I have not seen a human being for the the past 50 days. The radar alarm has also been dead silent for the past 10 days as I have rowed thru the most isolated part of my course. The only other conversations (apart from receiving a few calls on the satellite phone) have been with the skippers on passing ships, usually about the weather forecast and other ships in the area.
Dealing with loneliness at times has been one of the challenges. More difficult however has been dealing with solitary confinement on a 7 meter space. Both physically and mentally.
Physically, I can feel the certain leg muscles starting to waste away as I don't take more than a few steps a day. For a bit of relief, I try and do sit ups if the sea state permits and the occasional swim around the boat.
As far as maintaining a sane state of mind goes, I try to follow a fairly strict on board daily and weekly routine that gives a slight sense of normalcy to the situation. For instance, a typical day would be something like this:
7.00 am to 10.00 am – rowing (10 minute break every hour)
10-00 am to 02.00 pm – sleep
02.00 pm – 03.00 pm – lunch
03.00 pm – 05.00 pm – rowing
05.00 pm – 06.00 pm – coffee / snack break
06.00 pm - 08.00 pm – rowing / reading
08.00 pm – 10.00 pm – dinner, reading / relaxing / messages / ships logbook
10.00 pm – 02.00 am – rowing
02.00 pm – 06.00 pm - sleeping
I alter the routine slightly for unforeseen events like the weather, ships in t he vicinity, wildlife etc and it helps break the monotony of the routine. For my weekly schedule, I have fixed days of the week to clean the deck, laundry, carry out small fixes (that are not emergency), other jobs like scrubbing the hull, cleaning out the lockers, the bilge etc.
Hallucinations, dreams & nightmares at sea after all the this solitude are another affair. More on that in the next few posts.
So long for now,
B
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Morning view due East

Wave rising under

Surfin' down the back