Tomorrow – Tuesday 24th April – I will venture out the Golden Gate and head for the Farallon Islands, to set what could be (subject to ratification) a new Guinness World Record.
Paul Chinn from the San Francisco Chronicle will be at the San Francisco Yacht Club at 7AM to photograph my departure.
The weather window isn’t perfect.
The last few days have been hot, the land heating up to create a temperature differential drawing cooler air in from the sea. There may be fog. There will be an offshore breeze even at 8AM. The challenge will be to break through this zone and get as far away from Point Bonita as quickly as possible.
If I make it to SE Farallon, I must make a decision. Sleep or keep going… in the dark, clockwise round the island chain. At night the breeze is less, but 12 hours in, I will be tired.
If I decide to continue, I face a 5 hour row without stopping. This is the most dangerous section of the row. To my port, the rocky islands of the Farallons, to my starboard the continental shelf and the direction of the prevailing wind.
Once round North Farallon, I can rest, sleep even, especially if the wind has filled in to ensure my drift is AWAY from the rocks.
Cheer me on!
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