Wetass Hero–Anne Quemere: This incredibly determined Frenchwoman is in the midst of rowing across the Atlantic, from Cape Cod to France. She’s finally closing on the French coast, which is a relief because she’s been out there–wait for it–83 days! And, believe it or not, she’s not sure she wants to finish. Here’s a report she sent in a few days ago:

“Today, I row happily under a warm sun and a SW wind. I am getting accustomed to the odd oars and I may end up with one arm bigger than the other. The present conditions should allow me to get home quickly, a result I hope for but I fear at the same time. Be with my family, share meals and ideas and rest in familiar places will be wonderful but it also means the end of the adventure. I feel like a runner ready to reach his goal and loosing the charm of the race; Since yesterday, I am surrounded by physalies, thousand of them and I also see strange whitish balls the size of a ping-pong ball. What are they? Can somebody tell me? Anyway, I try to avoid them when I wash my dishes.Exept for these antidiluvian creatures, the sea is empty. No dolphin, no sperm whales, no ship. The sea is empty of edible fish and I am too far from commercial lines. To lighten the Connetable, I drink my water reserve I have been carrying since the USA, it will mean 20 kilos less to pull. If I believe the forecast, but I want confirmation, I should have to deal with NW wind again that may push me inside the gulf of Gascony. In the meantime, I move NE as much as I can and I can see in dream the towers of La Rochelle…”

The French have perfected the persona of the “philosopher-adventurer” and Quemere is a perfect example. Sure, ocean rowing can be a bit boring. But you have to admire and respect the patience, grit and vision it takes to spend almost three months at the oars, alone with your dreams, fears, and blisters. So, here’s to Anne…



Ocean Odyssey…