Day 8, 18th February 2014: Today is Gav Emmerson’s Birthday! However on the daily call from the boat, it was clear that he had decided not to mention this little fact to any of the crew…….so after all the birthday wishes and messages were passed on, the crew started singing! There was even talk about making sure he got some extra chicken tikka expedition food in substitute of a birthday cake – certainly a birthday to remember!
Matt Mason sends his best to the Fort Arms and has been working on his dolphin impressions while rowing – which are dreadful apparently. They also had their first flying fish onboard this morning……hitting Yaacov right in the face! Yaacov has been putting some thought to his new tattoo for when he arrives – currently his right arm is adorned with a macabre skull, oars and anchor with a blood red background. This was done after he was rescued in his last attempt to row the Atlantic, to sum up how he felt at the time. It was suggested in port that he should get a tattoo on completion of a successful crossing to sum up happiness – he feels his younger daughter Savannah could come up with some good suggestions, so Savannah get sketching for Barbados!
James has noted that all his four boys sign off their messages with “your favourite son” and would like to formally say that his favourite son is…..all of you!
The current has been against them in the past 12 hours so they feel that they have slowed a little, although with an impressive 90nm covered in day 7 and with 40nm already covered halfway through day 8, this crew are pushing on. Sore feet, sore bums and tiredness aside they are in great spirits and with now a birthday to celebrate today, the Toby Wallace crew are rowing happy. Happy Birthday Gav!
Photo of Gav Emmerson, courtesy of Ben Clayton – with thanks.