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Departure from Miami is now scheduled for February 2006.
Remain in the know by signing up to our Yahoo!Group:
Thursday - August 25, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
One group of friends who were especially excited was the OAR Northwest team. As fellow ocean rowers, I could tell that they were getting impatient
waiting for the delivery of their own Woodvale Fours boat. They had been waiting for so long to receive it from
England where it was built for them, and it finally arrived on Thursday morning. I was with them taking it out
of the container, and got to touch their boat.
The boat arrived with primer on fiberglass, ready to be painted. The team will have to place their rigging,
hatch covers, solar panels and the whole electrical systems; in short, they have just the bare boat now. I
understand their impatience in waiting for the boat. Now that it is here, they can get busy. My boat was the
only ocean rowing boat on the west coast of the United States until we shipped it, and now it is their turn to
hold that spot until their departure ;-)
OAR Northwest is going to be rowing across the North Atlantic from New York to England in the summer of 2006.
The Ocean Fours
Rowing Race will consist of four person teams using the same boat design. Therefore this first time race
will be pitting team against team without unfair advantage over boat design.
We will certainly be hearing about OAR Northwest team as they are going to be the only American team to attempt
this. In addition, they have fostered a partnership with the American Lung Association of Washington which
will receive half the funds that they raise through donations. To contribute, you can click
here.
Much has happened in the last six weeks. In an earlier dispatch, I wrote incorrectly that the Vancouver to
Moscow expedition team had completed their trek into Moscow. At the time, it was Colin Angus who had pushed
ahead by himself and Tim Harvey still had a long distance to
cover before arriving at Moscow. Tim was traveling with their Russian teammate Yulya, and they were bringing
in the rear.
Studying late one evening in early July, I heard Colin Angus being interviewed on CBC Radio. He was recounting
his ride into Moscow, and also announcing that he would now attempt to bring his journey back to Vancouver. From
Moscow, he would continue riding to Portugal, then row across the Atlantic with his girlfriend Julie, and bicycle
the rest of the way to Vancouver.
I wrote a congratulatory note to both Julie and Colin that evening, saying that I had expected no less, and that
I would cheer them on. I had talked to Julie prior to Colin’s announcement, suggesting that Colin and Tim should
get over their differences and bring this journey home to Vancouver together. So it was to be with Julie...
Colin’s proposed route was essentially my plan prior to the Six Summits Project, though I would have followed a
route south of the Caspian Sea through Turkey. Tim and Colin had been on a journey bringing to life a dream
which I had cherished. I had been fascinated with their plans and I had attended their send off ceremony in
Vancouver.
In my e-mail to Colin, I commended him for keeping under wraps the second half of his journey until he completed
the first half into Moscow. Given my experience in finding sponsors for my project, I suggested that his two-phased
approach had to be easier to swallow for potential sponsors; "smart move," I shared with Colin. Although
they had decided to continue separately, Colin wrote that he and Tim had agreed to wait for each other at the
finish line in Vancouver.
Tim was busy in his own world, struggling to make progress while trying to rescue captive bear cubs and baby
tigers along the highway. He and Yulya had been making new friends of the locals and were still keeping to
their pace. I was to discover that Tim did not have the means to cross the Atlantic. Colin had had the graces
of his girlfriend Julie in acquiring an ocean rowing boat for a Lisbon departure.
I had no hesitation. I made the decision within 24 hours to help Tim and got the buy in from my wife Nancy. If
I could pull it off, I would make my first ocean crossing with another person, gaining experience in the process,
and arriving at Miami fit, both physically and mentally. I had been worried about the lonesome November departure
from Miami on my first open water foray. Facing the fast Gulf Stream, buffeted by the cross winds and navigating
the shallows of the Bahamas were the stuff of experienced sailors, something which I was not.
I wrote Tim offering the idea, and asked him to keep quiet about this for a while until I gave the signal. He
had to decide if he could cover the distances to Portugal on time, and I had to figure out the logistics and the
seasonal patterns of the currents and winds. I did not want to be penalized in my own journey by another year if
I committed to helping Tim. I wanted to leave Lisbon with him in October, still a bit early in the season --
there was a chance that we could be chasing the storms at sea.
If I wanted to resume my own Six Summits Project from Miami, I had to get there in January for a delayed departure
from Miami in February 2006. That way, I would still be on target to climb Aconcagua in January 2007, not impacting
my calendar at all. Four months from Lisbon to Miami I figured and we had to leave in October.
Now I had to figure out whether this was even possible. I immediately wrote to Jenifer & Dane Clark, our
oceanographer and meteorologist support team, about the currents and winds. I investigated the shipping options
to Lisbon. Given the possible shipping dates, I had to rush the boat preparations – I no longer had the months
that I had planned for my November departure; the boat was now due in its shipping container on August 17. I was
fortunate to find Seattle Yacht Service available to help on short notice. I too offered my time and labor,
rushing to get the boat ready - there was no time for training or dispatches...
I am excited about this development. I get to experience the oceans with a man of great heart, caring for the
environment and for the creatures of this world. Tim saw the journey through with his teammate Yulya who had
accompanied them ever since they set foot on Russian soil in Providenia. I look forward to spending time with Tim
and hearing some of their adventure stories in the far reaches of Siberia. He probably will have enough stories
to get us across...
I can’t wait to reach Lisbon to meet Tim again.
Erden.
Thursday - July 28, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
A lot of preparatory action lately:
The boat is in the shop, receiving the full treatment. We took the PUR-40E watermaker out and shipped it to
Katadyn to be reconditioned. I will also acquire a manually operated watermaker, PUR06 which will sit in the grab
bag.
We sanded under the boat, and applied three coats of new bottom paint. The hatch covers are being replaced since
the sun took its toll on the existing ones. We are opening new hatches to gain access to all bulkheads for storage.
The electrical system is back up, the solar panels are working. We favored two new marine batteries to ensure adequate
supply of current for all the systems on board. We are installing a navigation system with an internal GPS - this
coupled with the compass mounted on the boat, I will be able to find my way around on the oceans.
We are planning on installing a video surveillance system which can record for up to 90 days using four separate
cameras. This would mean capturing all of the action without worrying about having someone to operate the camera.
The power requirements for that system worries me, so we are installing a small wind generator to provide a trickle
charge into the batteries even on cloudy days. We should be ready to run the video system and the desalination
unit together when necessary.
I am now ordering the necessary parts and equipment for the oceans. For example, the liferaft is an expensive
item that we need. We will need a high resolution 3CCD camcorder and a new 5+ Mp digital camera to capture
additional action. With this footage and image collection, I can provide you with a worthwhile show later. The
opportunity exists only during the journey to document it. It is important to prepare for these ahead of time.
I will place the web site address across the side of the boat until a title sponsor steps forward. I did not
officially rename the boat, however I removed the name Calderdale from the bow. In its place, I am putting
"donate online" until we find a boat sponsor who will rename the boat.
We were fortunate to receive gear donations in the past, and now I am occasionally able to negotiate wholesale
prices on parts. While it may be possible that we will soon find a major sponsor, I am running out of time. I
need to be training more, and focusing on the logistics. So I am placing my faith on the grassroots support that
never disappoints.
To date, all of the funds we were able to raise were through private donations. For that we are grateful. You
help because you see a part of you traveling with me, and in your hearts you venture away with me vicariously.
You want your children to follow a worthwhile story, and our educational mission only enhances our value in your
eyes.
Please pass on the word to your friends. Friends in high places could always help open doors. We would like to
reach a wider audience with your help. Do tell them to use the amazon.com links on our web site for their online
shopping. In this way, Around-n-Over receives a commission at no extra cost to the buyers - it is called "loyalty
marketing" where the buyer chooses to use amazon.com instead of the competing bookstore sites, because they want
to help. That web site traffic has a value for amazon.com, hence the reward to us. Reaching the participating
companies at iGive.com from our site or promoting our t-shirts are all good ways to help. These methods are all
listed on the 'Support us' page of our site.
Thank you for your continued support.
Erden.
Thursday - July 07, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
I am happy to announce that Colin Angus has completed his trek from Vancouver to Moscow by human power. Together
with his partner Tim Harvey, they became the the first modern men to cross the Bering Sea by rowing. They are a
true inspiration to me. This is the route that I had envisioned before embarking on the Six Summits Project, and
they have done it. I had written about them in an earlier dispatch. Tim Harvey is still bicycling to Moscow as
the two split a while back in their journey to continue separately.
Now for most of us, that would be an occasion to hang up our hats, and take a rest. Not for Colin Angus: he will
be continuing from Moscow to Portugal overland, then he will row across the Atlantic with his girlfriend
Julie to bring the journey back to North America. They have displayed great courage to make it as far as they did,
and Colin will be just as successful to see the journey through.
OK, so can we outdo the previous duo? Try Expedition 360.
Jason carried on alone to Australia, eventually bicycling to Darwin and is still on course to complete the
circumnavigation. Right now he is kayaking the Indonesian Islands, and will follow a circuitous path back to
England.
These men epitomize the true sense of exploration: finding the limits of human endurance, reaching out into
uncertainty, facing the notion of the impossible and showing the will to survive. These are the reasons
why we are inspired, for we face similar challenges everyday. While ours may not be as physical, life as we know
it with its inherent uncertainty challenges us just the same. All of us have physically tasked our bodies at
some point in the past and we can relate to them. Our own fears lead us to respect them for they have the
mental fortitude to match. As fellow humans, each one of us understands the effort and the determination
required to continue.
Given engines, sails, balloons, rockets or wings backed with enough money, time and talent, anyone can recreate
past achievements, go around the world yet another time, go out into space for one more shot at glory and call
that exploration. We can even hand deliver them an Explorers Club Flag to carry around, if they take token
science on board. Yet when it comes down to what it means to explore, where the flesh meets the earth, I will put
my money down on the likes of Tim, Colin, Jason and Steve.
It takes great courage to now take on that daunting proposition alone. That is exactly what Renata is doing.
She left Seattle on July 4, 2005 alone on a kayak to attempt this project. She calls it the Around America Adventure where you can
follow her journey.
When completed, this journey will be an accomplishment for Renata, and will realize a dream that has survived to
this day.
We wish her well.
Busy in Seattle,
Erden.
Wednesday - June 22, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
Hi again:
The radio show I mentioned to you in my earlier dispatch has become available at:
It should remain there until the new year.
Please enjoy,
Erden.
(BTW - the Rainier ascent also mentioned in the previous dispatch was postponed due to adverse unseasonable
weather in the Pacific Northwest)
Thursday - June 9, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
Hello friends,
I was gone during the month of May, visiting schools in Turkey, presenting our progress to many clubs and
societies there, and promoting the journey in the media.
Over all, there was great interest in our desire to realize the journey to educate and to inspire children. The
effort to add meaning to a huge journey, which may otherwise remain simply an audacious act of defiance against
nature, was not overlooked.
The career changing aspect of the Six Summits Project and my reasons for embarking on a new path also drew
attention, and became the focal point of many media interviews. Similar interest remains in the US for this
latter topic. For example, I will be interviewed live on radio on Monday, June 13th at noon EST (that is at
22:00 on Monday in Turkey).
I included more details below about the show.
I returned to a fast paced start in Seattle. One of the upcoming challenges among many is a Göran style ascent
of Mt. Rainier just southeast of Seattle on June 17-20. This will be an opportunity for us to gather as climbing
friends and to contemplate the upcoming Aconcagua ascent in January 2007.
I hope the summer finds you in good spirits.
Erden.
-----------------------------
LISTEN LIVE! The Entrepreneur Hour Radio Show
Erden Eruc, president and founder of Around-n-Over, a non-profit organization based in Seattle, WA., is a former
Software Developer, Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer who found the confines of the corporate work
environment and the cubicle life too binding. Erden dreamed of going on a self-propelled journey around the
world and helping children along the way and that is just what he is doing. Eruc will share the how far he has
traveled, how far he has to go and the challenges and rewards of living a dream.
Sharon Keys Seal, president and founder of Coaching Concepts, Inc., based in Baltimore, Maryland, is an executive
coach who specializes in helping clients see themselves and their work in powerful new ways. For nine years, Sharon
has served as a catalyst for positive, proactive change in action-oriented individuals. Sharon will share her
expertise and tips that have helped her clients illuminate dreams, gain fresh perspectives and make dreams a
reality.
Monday - April 27, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
Our legal counsel Christopher Beer once told me "Surround yourself with good people, and the dream will take
care of itself." Chris could not have been more right.
One such good person is my rowing coach Emil Kossev at the Pocock Rowing Center. Emil works with Pocock's Elite
Rowing Team that consists of rowers preparing for national and international competitions including the Olympics
and world championships.
Emil has seen the best of them, he gives me that quiet nod of approval, assigns me huge workout loads toward
which I struggle, and never discourages me. Could it be because he knows what dreams are made of? Maybe he
expects greatness from me, and will settle for no less.
Certainly for a long time, he has been hearing other rowers uttering those magic words: "I want to row in the
Olympics" - and with that initial promise of commitment, Emil has made Olympians and champions out of them. I
have my work cut out, it won't be easy, and it will be in the best of company at the Pocock Rowing Center.
Emil was one of the 2004 U.S. Olympic rowing team coaching staff, and he has recently been nominated by USRowing
for the United States Olympic Committee’s “Doc” Counsilman Science Award.
I will point you to Emil's profile at the Pocock web site for more information:
Erden.
Sunday - April 26, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
Rowing News Magazine just published a nice feature article about the journey. The editor's note was about the
same as well. I was floored by the kindness that they showed toward the whole undertaking. The pictures that
Joel Rogers took in the lakes around
Seattle with Mt. Rainier in the background are absolutely wonderful. They are certainly candidates for framing
at home!
Joel is now suggesting that we should take the ocean rowing boat to La
Push on the Pacific Coast of Olympic Peninsula to experience the swells. He would then get on his sea kayak
to take pictures of the boat in its own element. We will do that in early July sometime.
The Rowing News magazine should be available at the local book stores; it is the May issue and it is on the stands now...
Erden.
Sunday - April 3, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
The biggest story of the last few weeks is that Nancy and I went to Washington DC together to meet Dane and
Jenifer Clark. Dane Clark is an expert in meteorology and weather systems as they apply to the oceans. Jenifer
is an expert in ocean currents, and the private marine consulting firm Jenifer Clark's Gulfstream is her brainchild.
Pooling their expertise, Dane and Jenifer provide best-course consulting services to anyone wanting to safely
navigate the open waters. A specific application of their expertise shines during yatch races. Often the
fastest route from point A to point B on a race course is not the rhumb line, which would be the shortest curve
connecting the two on the earth's surface. By taking into account satellite telemetry, winds, ocean currents,
eddies and inbound weather patterns, Dane and Jenifer can help racing boats add that few knots of speed to their
cruise. It is not unusual to find them providing the oceanographic captains' briefings for yacht races, and
private seminars for the indivual boat crews.
During the weekend that we spent with them, I firmly believe that we made two new friends with genuine concern
for my safety. Nancy gained enough exposure to the concepts which they introduced, such that she now feels a bit
more at ease about my ocean crossings. Although I was familiar with most of the content, for me the biggest gain
was to hear them explain how they would remain intimately involved with my journey.
During our visit, we discussed the general patterns of ocean currents and agreed that my route selection was
overall reasonable. What we now need to do is to time the departures to coincide with favorable weather and
ocean patterns. This will be possible with the knowledge of real-time data at the site. The greatest concern
they had was with my departure from Miami, trying to keep a heading through the Bahamas toward the east end
of Cuba. None of us had any qualms about the giant Pacific crossing, and agreed on the difficulty of leaving
Miami with generally unfavorable winds and currents. It will be "finals first, study later" kind of an experience!!!
So that was a weekend well spent, during which we learned a great deal and laid the groundwork for my departure.
Currently, I am preparing for a 3 week visit to Turkey in May where I will spend time promoting Around-n-Over, the Six
Summits Project and pursue fundraising opportunities. Friends from my high school and college days have stepped
forward to ensure a successful media campaign launch. I have eight confirmed evening presentations to large
groups one of which will be as a feature speaker at my alma mater Boğaziçi University during their Alumnus Day.
More universities are awaiting my commitment once I fix my itinerary. I will also be visiting elementary schools
and meet with potential sponsors.
The boat is now out of the water, parked on the driveway of our friend Rich Brower. I will scrub her clean on a
sunny day, then place the web site address on the boat - you would not believe how many captains were hollering
across the water separating our respective boats during my rowing sessions: "is that for rowing the oceans?"
Much like my oversize cycling rig on land, this boat itself was a conversation starter. She was so overbuilt
compared to other rowing boats around, that it attracted attention, drawing others in. In reality, she happens to
be the only ocean rowing boat on the west coast of the entire Americas!!!
I will post pictures of the boat once new insignia is applied.
Best,
Erden.
Wednesday - March 16, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
My duties as the man of the house were put on hold during the ride to Miami last autumn. My wife Nancy had
purchased an affordable townhome a bit north of Seattle and moved us in November, all during my ride. She was
careful with our mortgage commitment, after having downsized a year ago to enable the journey. This kept our
budget in check, giving us the option to carry on with the journey, albeit much more slowly, in case sponsorships
were slow in coming.
I returned to a new home that needed attention like touch up paint and reorganization to accommodate my arrival.
I did not know where anything was for a while, still asking Nancy where to find that odd piece of paper
occasionally. We moved furniture around a few times, eventually deciding on the lay out. There seems to be
order in our lives by now with less stress.
I had relied on Nancy as my primary support during the ride. She not only had to continue her regular day job,
but she also had to take over much of the work that came with the non-profit Around-n-Over. The latter had been
my responsibility since my return from Alaska (Stage 1), and
there was little that I could contribute from the road. Combined with the house move, the demands took their
toll on her: she was stretched too thin. I owed her. It was pay back time for me, and I had a long
honey-do-list. We had to make up for the time spent apart, trying to replenish our reserves to endure more
challenges ahead.
A delay in my departure was fine, however this would have put me in the Atlantic during the hurricane season
which lasts from April to end of October. I had to time my departure from Miami for safety and for winds in
my favor. Therefore, we tentatively scheduled late October to drive the boat to Miami on a trailer. We would
arrive there, giving us sufficient time to wait for the favorable weather patterns before launching the boat
sometime in November.
It was a great joy to finally put the boat in the water on Lake Union. She had been sitting in the garage of
my friend Jeremy Cranford who had also climbed on Denali with me. The hull of the boat had been scraped during
transport which my boatwright friend Paul Papenhause helped patch temporarily. My friend Bill Little made a
signal board to attach during tow at the stern of the boat, which extended quite far behind the trailer. My
friend Dean Frasier helped me tow the trailer to a boat landing on Lake Union. Eventually I tied the boat to
a slip that my friend Christopher Driver offered near his shop. Chris is masterful in wiring electrical
systems on boats and he will be the one to bring my boat up to condition before long. Needless to say, there
are many who help and carry this project - I could not do it alone!
When we put the boat in the water for the first time, the OAR Northwest team was also present, giddy in helping
me prepare the boat before we rowed it on Lake Union. Their excitement was obvious, seeing a boat similar to
what they will use in their crossing, going through the motions with me to add ballast water in the holds for
stability.
What a wonderful experience it is to have such like minded rowers in the same city. We are blessed with the
abundance of water around Seattle, with easy access to premier rowing clubs, and a heritage in this region that
extends back to the native canoes that plied the waters of the Pacific Northwest. We all feel energized to
carry forward with our dreams as kindred spirits: the OAR Northwest team in trying to reach the starting blocks,
and me in trying to keep the journey going around the world over the next six years while telling about it to
the youth.
I will be writing more regularly now that my life is in somewhat of an order. I will tell you about my training,
preparations, occasional side trips and about the rewards and challenges that come along the way. I will ask
for your help in spreading the word for grassroots support, while I will keep busy in seeking corporate sponsors
and institutional partners. I will train my body physically, learn new skills and share the experience as usual,
so please do stay tuned.
Sleepless in Seattle,
Erden.
Archive of Dispatches:
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Friday - August 19, 2005 (Preparing in Seattle - 9,526 miles total)
Tim Harvey was the one who had contacted me before their expedition to gather information for their bicycle ride
to Alaska. I had remained in touch with Tim’s mother Dorothy during the treacherous stretches of their journey.
So I asked Colin for Tim’s contact information – the obvious question in my mind was: "If they plan to meet in
Vancouver, how will Tim cross the Atlantic?"
Besides, here was a chance for me to give something back to society. I had formed the nonprofit Around-n-Over
with the long term goal of assisting other dreamers with their journeys worthy of Göran's legacy. Throughout my
journey to Alaska and back, individual Canadians had helped me. Canadians are a great people who supported this
stranger without question, took me in, fed me, and even sent me away with donations. Helping Tim would be my
gift back to them, my way of paying back, turning his great journey into one that is even greater.
Just days ago Nancy and I loaded 120 days worth of food on the boat, and final supplies were placed in the
bulkheads the night before shipment. The deck paint was still drying on the boat when I delivered it to the
shipping company in the morning on the 17th. Only after I committed the boat to the container was I able to
breathe a big sigh of relief and to give Tim the signal: “yes, we are on!” Ironically the boat in its container
would move out of Seattle at about the same time that Tim arrived at Moscow, a perfect timing for our announcement.
The shuttle Discovery is back in space. This new mission brought back memories of February 1, 2003 when shuttle
Columbia fell apart in the upper atmosphere. That same morning I left Seattle on my bike, embarking on the
Denali phase of the Six Summits Project. The Discovery astronauts are in our thoughts until they land safely...
I am working with folks at ExplorersWeb.com to automate dispatches from the field. When we are done, by simply
using a palm computer connected to a satellite phone, I will be able to post directly on our web site. I will be
able to provide images, video, sound and text. A huge step forward in convenience! Given my low bandwidth at sea
over the satellite phone, the simplified dispatch procedures will save a bundle on airtime costs.
Englishman Jason Lewis had started from England together with Steve Smith in July of 1994. They set off from the
Greenwich Meridian to attempt one of the world’s "Last Great Firsts:" to circumnavigate the world by human power.
They used a pedal/propeller powered boat to pedal across the Atlantic, one biked, the other roller skated across
the US, then they pedalled to Hawaii together. Steve decided to leave the expedition upon reaching Hawaii in 1998,
he even wrote a book about it, see his web site: 
On the day that Göran died, he was telling me about his current project at the time: together with his fiance
Renata Chlumska, they were to start from Seattle and travel around the continental US by human power. They would have
kayaked the shores, the Rio Grande, the lakes, and covered the rest on foot. Those plans came to a stop with his
death on September 30, 2002.
I knew of Dane and Jenifer from 1999 when they had helped Victoria (Tori) Murden row from the Canary Islands to the
Caribbean. With that accomplishment, Tori became the first woman to solo row any ocean. I had followed her progress
across the Atlantic while in my office in Seattle. Tori wrote in her journals about the help that Jenifer was
offering at the time, especially when Jenifer advised her to stay put and not call for rescue when a storm rolled
in. Tori was gun shy having survived two hurricanes in the North Atlantic before, requiring a rescue, but she
chose to listen and eventually completed her row. Through Tori, I discovered the 
Clearly the Clarks themselves had to be satisfied also that they would have a responsive partner at sea. They
would be in a position to tell me to not fear, to batten the hatches and to hang tight during that upcoming storm
which may be barreling down toward me and my tiny boat. I would have to trust their word while anticipating that
blender of an experience. On the other hand, they may also be advising me to push the button on my EPIRB
(Emergency Position Indicating Rescue Beacon) to summon the nearest ship to my rescue. If I question their
advice, not appreciating the ferocity of the upcoming storm, or if I let pride or vested interests interfere
with my decision, clouding my judgement, their advice will fall on deaf ears. It would be an unwelcome burden
on their conscience to face the consequences of my wrong decision.
As for rowing training, it is one more ball in the air that I juggle. I have put in up to six hour sessions
on the Calderdale (to be renamed by a boat sponsor!). For a while she rested tied to a pier near the Fishermen's
Terminal near Seattle giving me easy access to the real thing. That was a convenient set up for me to play and I
often shared the experience with friends who were curious. We took turns rowing, occasionally resting to break
open our little picnic on the water.
It has been a busy two and a half months since I returned to Seattle from Miami. There is progress to report,
many have been asking and I miss writing to you. Hence, this update...
The decision to postpone my departure from Miami until November was not difficult. The trip to Miami had taken
longer than I had anticipated. I needed family time with Nancy - this was essential. We did not have sponsors
to support the financial demands of the journey. The ocean rowing boat had been waiting in Seattle, it needed
work. I was not fit for rowing. My passport had expired, I needed a new one. Visas and permits were contingent
on that. There were many logistical details that needed attention, so the February-March departure which I had
originally envisioned proved to be unrealistic.
I recently discovered that a team of four rowers from University of Puget Sound will be rowing the Ocean Fours
Rowing Race from New York to Falmouth in UK. They will be the only American entry in this 2,800 nautical mile
race which is planned to start in June of 2006. I have a link to their site