Monday 31 August 2015

Day 7

 Day dawned on day 7 which was as planned a quieter day than the rest
 and once again we were very lucky weather wise and for some inexplicable reason the midges got fed up with chasing us around
 giving us a breather from mosquito nets and insect repellents. Just as well as most of the day was spent making sure base camp was as clean as we found it.
 But we did have time to have a lecture from Tom MacClean one of the UK's most courageous adventurers, he being the first person to row the Atlantic solo and the went and did it again quicker, in 54 days. This was before sat navs, mobile phones and was unsupported. It was also the long route, from North America to the Irish Coast, lesser mortals now try and do it from France to the Caribbean and miss out all the fun of the icebergs.
 He's also sailed the Atlantic twice in the smallest yacht, here it is, he had to do it twice as someone else beat him so he chain sawed two foot off his making it 7 foot 9 which compared to the Atlantic is tiny, navigation bouys are bigger. To add to his achievements he's also sailed across in a bottle, a big one with a four poster bed in it, and was the first civilian to live on Rockall a small rock out in the ocean but giving the UK 200 miles of fishing rights and minerals. Add to that his army career, the para and the SAS, this is a man who deserves a knighthood. Instead he lives a happy life letting people like me intrude on his domain and share his wilderness.
 I was also there when he drew this beast on a napkin and said "Im going to build a whale boat" which he did, Moby, with a plan to sail in it across to New York. This hasn't happened. Yet. So anyone with a spare few grand and desire to do something unique google him and get going.
 The day drew to a close, awards were handed out to members of the group and we
 bid goodnight to Moby ready for the morrows adventure. The hike out and the journey home.

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