Can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since I landed at YCB (Cambridge Bay), and just over ten days since Leven, Mike, Karts, and I departed from Cambridge Bay on Hermione. In a way it feels much more recent. On the other hand, a fair few things have happened during that time.

TOUGHEST ROW SO FAR

Not really, not enough rowing, I hear you say. Well, things are looking up for you. We’ve done a pretty hard 7.5h row earlier today. And we expect to be rowing non-stop for 1.5 days from Wednesday late night. Then planning to sit out strong Southerlies for a couple of days.

NON-STOP ROWING PLANNED

When I say non-stop, what I mean is rowing hard for around 8h using the system that worked well for yesterday’s row: 3 rowing, 1 steering. Rotate every half hour. So each man gets to take a half-hour steering break every 90 minutes. Each rotation cycle lasts two hours.

CURRENT SYSTEM

In our case we decided that once Karts, who usually starts as helm, has done his half hour of steering, he hands over to Leven. Leven then hands over to Mike. Mike hands over to me. Then I hand back over to Art. And so on. In a 8h row, each one of us will have done 4 stints of steering.

STEERING AND…

You need both hands for steering, as you hold one handle in each hand. Each handle is attached to a rope which is connected to the rudder. You pull right, you turn left/port. You pull left, you turn right/starboard.

…ROWING BOTH REQUIRE BOTH HANDS

You need both hands for rowing. So there aren’t any real breaks. You can grab your drinking bottle for a few sips.

STRUGGLING TO MAKE 1.25 KNOTS EARLIER TODAY

The 7.5h row this morning (13 Nautical miles/24km) was the hardest row so far. We set off at midnight. At times we struggled to make 1.25 knots (2.3kph). It was half way through the row that we reached 2 knots (3.7kph) for the first time, just for a minute. Then currents turned in our favour and we were averaging 2.5 knots (4.6kph) in the end.

FIRST DARKNESS, THEN A BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE

We started out in relatively thorough darkness, then, from around 4am, we witnessed one of the most magnificent sunrises.

PASSING BY A HUNTERS’ CAMP

At some stage I spotted some strange reflection on the shore a few miles ahead. It didn’t seem to fit in with the rest. Turned out that it was a hunters’ camp. Just one tent and a bit of gear. The hunters seemed to have gone hunting, as their vehicles were missing and there was certainly no sight of the hunters themselves.

BOTANY ISLAND, A BIT OF RUNNING

When we arrived at our destination, a barren, unnamed tiny island just a stone throw South of Victoria Island, Leven, Mike, and I went on land after we beached Hermione. Art offered to stay on board, as there should always be one man on board unless the boat has been properly secured. We were joking about naming the island and out of a fit of fancy decided it should be Botany Island. I went for a little 2k run, once around the isle. I would have loved to do several rounds, but there was no timr.

ANCHORING FOR THE NIGHT

We unbeached our boat and rowed it towards the centre of the island, with the highest elevation and thus the best wind protection. Then we laid anchor there.

COOKING, SLEEPING

I finally got round to taking some cooking pictures and a couple of pictures of my sleeping situation for my impatient editor-in-chief and general manager, Ellie.