http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html Fifty three days alone, rowing, across the atlantic, solo. The race finished in Antigua and I just happened to be here. Charlie Pitcher, his web site is http://www.transatlanticsolo.com/. He beat the best time for the race of 68 plus days quite handily, not to mention his competition. The closest competitor was still only two-thirds of the way across the Atlantic. Stunning actually, his average speed for the last 10 days was 2.5/kts, versus 1.2 for his nearest competitor. I’d say that was a blow out. Estimates have the rest of these guys not arriving until at least April, with one as far out as June! That guy better pick up the pace or he’ll never make it. At first I didn’t understand why my neighbor was blowing one of those disposable aerosol can horns. But there he was, with a small flotilla of welcoming ships. http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#0 1a09d821-6f9d-491e-ba97-699f84590a3e http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1074.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1074.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Charlie Pitcher, arriving in Nelson’s Harbor after 53 days rowing, solo across the Atlantic.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#1 4affeda0-7f9f-48db-b6ac-68ce8729352b http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1075.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1075.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Two of Charlie’s three sons.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#2 314acd68-3132-4baa-80bd-27c20b58b9b6 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1077.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1077.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Closer up view, note the spare set of oars, probably a good idea.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#3 ff18dea0-c79c-40a9-a38d-c0394ec77669 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1083.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1083.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The locals watch and some official greeting. </p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#4 7887cacf-0103-49ea-a7db-af52ca515358 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1087.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1087.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">You can see the VI Bound in the background, barely.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#5 38ba31df-be18-4a95-b523-da8c1db7c390 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1095.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1095.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Welcome home.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#6 f56613db-6028-45b0-82e3-2635b7c76955 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1099.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1099.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Videographer on hand for the landing.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#7 747bb3e4-565c-4b35-897a-6525d8cb6f4d http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1100.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1100.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"/></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#8 ac03d129-ef59-4fbe-963e-2cb4ef0b2c96 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1105.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1105.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">One of their sponsors. He also raised 30K pounds for charity.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#9 1fcbbdaf-71fc-47c8-8ea5-9365870c011a http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1109.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1109.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The “boat”.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#10 42b703f0-55cd-4632-a057-1568de15e277 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1110.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1110.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Pretty high tech.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#11 4424fc6e-a176-4188-b7a6-b8efe5baeb0e http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1111.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1111.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">I guess I would be wondering who I am too after 53 days.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#12 a73ff874-0ac6-475d-99bd-eef89b5bd655 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1114.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1114.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Note the rearward facing compass.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#13 f6ae4d76-daf2-42e8-9869-e9dafd5ba7f6 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1115.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1115.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">High tech, solar, GPS - still not much to cross the Atlantic.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#14 0fabc6f8-eeb9-47b0-903d-6e110d1d58b2 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1116.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1116.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">That’s the race.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#15 0f4a2ecb-c76b-4de4-8de1-32a745d578d1 http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1117.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1117.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Heavy duty dock lines, NOT.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#16 76c438a2-7d4c-4b2b-98b7-5753b4722e7f http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1118.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1118.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Customs is closed, guess he’ll have to stay overnight onboard.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#17 5444dc55-0bfd-400b-92bc-1d5e4319ed3e http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1119.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1119.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">His web site.</p></div></div> http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie.html#18 5fe14557-3190-48aa-a910-7f9bc35335fd http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1120.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.vibound.com/Windward_Islands/Charlie_files/Media/IMG_1120.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_180_28"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Very informal, the welcome.</p></div></div>