A day in the life of Dream Maker

And so our seventh week on the ocean starts!
Where has the time gone?! We’re now established in our routine, and as such each day seems to blend into the other. At midnight we start our two hour row two hour rest time, as we both feel the need for one two hour break at least. A slither of the moon has appeared last few nights, and we keep expecting to see Mary Poppins flying above it at any time. Previous nights have been really dark again, and we’re unable to distinguish between where the sea ends and the sky starts. The only changes are the white lines that appear to indicate a breaking wave, often associated with a loud hissing noise. It’s a good warning for the rower to prepare for a sudden change of movement. It seems just like Buckaroo. With our feet strapped in and our upper bodies thrown around like rag dolls it often leaves you feeling whip-lashed. Sometime the waves rip the oars out of your hands with such ferocity that you wonder whether your arm is still attached to your bodies.
The rower to finish rowing during sunrise has the responsibility of boiling water for the day. We’ve gone with the sun now that we are in our second time zone. Boiling water is easier said than done; getting it out from under deck hatch, fixing it to gamble point, lighting it without loosing your eye brows and then boiling 4 litres of it in rotation of two kettles, saved in thermos flasks … two of which we easily spill as we stagger backwards and forwards, left and right!
We then change our routine to an hour and a half row and rest, which allows breakfast to be digested. Breakfast delights include porridge with strawberries and custard with berries! As the sun comes out we drop the routine to an hour off each. The sun is scorching hot at the moment, which also makes the cabin too hot and stuffy to be comfortable. Rest time disappears, with map plotting and navigation, boat maintenance, getting food and drinks on board, personal hygiene demands,book reading, emails, blog, phone calls home (and to other boats) and most importantly of course SLEEP! We can never get enough sleep, or sleep of such quality that make us feel well rested. We also of course need team talk time, motivational pep talk and attempt to make the other smile (and even laugh) as we make the most of this most amazing, difficult, surreal, gruelling, rewarding and unique experience of our lives. Just before sunset the other rower boils more water for dinner and hot drinks over night. We squeezed the last bit of life out of our last tea bag two days ago, so with all our stock now diminished our treat is a chocolate mousse pack diluted with five times the recommended amount of water to make the BEST hot chocolate ever. Drinking it under the stars, while thinking of everything, anything and nothing really makes you appreciate that it’s the little things in life that count.
We promise never to take them for granted again!