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September 30, 2007
The Last Voyage of the Moksha
LOCATION: Cap Gris Nez, France
SEE WHERE WE ARE!
Longitude: N:51deg.14'53.
Latitude: E: 002deg.55'45.
Kms from Istanbul: 3,328
This is written on the slipway at Cap Gris Nez, 17 miles west of Calais on the French side of La Manche, or The Channel (as the English know it). The desired weather window presented itself on yesterday morning's forecast for crossing today. So we broke camp from Ostend and I rode the 145 kms down the coast to Calais yesterday afternoon in time to catch the ebb tide this morning, at 12 noon. This should hopefully assist with the crossing over to the white cliffs of Dover and around the corner to St. Margaret's slipway (west of Dover).
Moksha has been transported down here on a trailer, driven by Chris Tipper. No word still from the French authorities, so there's still the chance of being arrested. But after 13 years and all that has gone down with this expedition; from being run over by a car in Colorado, to being chased by a croc in Australia, to nearly succumbing to septicemia mid Pacific, the last thing that will stop me from reaching English soil now, and completing the circumnavigation, is a bunch of French bureaucracy. If they try and stop me I am resolved to keep on pedaling, even if they threaten to shoot me (which they won't I don't think - this isn't Indonesia or the Sudan!).
Chris Tipper will be with me, Moksha's builder and an Pacific leg veteran. It will be good to begin this Last Voyage of the Moksha with him.
My 'ocean ring' is now on my finger again. I wear this ring for all the ocean crossings so I am essentially 'married' to the sea for the duration of each voyage, prompting me to better read the fickle mood swings of the water and all her contrariness, and enable better decision-making. It has brought me good luck thus far. I hope it will today also. Fingers crossed the next update will be written from English soil later today!
jason
** MOKSHA SHIPPING ANTWERP to OOSTENDE **
Huge thanks to those of you who have pledged towards the shipping of Moksha to Ostend from Antwerp. The response has been so successful we have $350 surplus which we will put towards the hire of the crane to pull Moksha out of the Thames on the morning of the 6th (475 pounds sterling).
You can make pledges here. Or email contact@expedition360.com
Sincerest thanks to the following for your pledges -
The Rollers - $200
Karl Sweeney - $100
Susan Schendowich - $50
Patrick Buckler - $50
Neil Reypert - $100
Gretchin Lair - $50
Tim Murfitt - $50
Samantha Carter - $50
Merlin & Carrie Lewis - $200
Jane Koca & John Caldwell - $100
Anonymous - $250
> Total to raise: $850
> Total raised to date: $1200
> Total still to raise: $0
> Surplus towards crane hire: $350
> Crane hire: $998.50
> Still to raise: 650
Posted on September 30, 2007 8:25 AM