Perseverance

With all the efforts made so far since the beginning of my project in 2008, I now understand what perseverance, steadfastness and resistance in the effort to keep moving towards the coveted goal despite obstacles and embarrassment that stand in the road.

I got on my bike, on December 4th, left my doorstep, helmet in hand, smiling. Seconds later, after just four strides, I slipped and fell to the ground. At the very moment my forearm crashed into the ground, I felt the bone fragment under the impact of my fall. My arm, twisted, required treatment and all I could think of was how I was going to manage to the Atlantic in a rowing boat!

After a few days in hospital and a short stay in the operating room, I found myself with my arm trapped in a cast for 7 weeks. For two months I could not answer the fateful question of whether my arm would be ready in May to allow me to row with rigour for 100 days. When my arm was released from its barbaric prison, it felt weird, almost as if it no longer belonged to me, unresponsive to any commands. Since late January, I have been working to rehabilitate my withered arm to restore its shape, strength and function.

To complete the project safely, I must be able to perform at 110% and not depend on anyone physically. Today, I still need help just to open a jar of mustard! In an emergency during the row, procedures require that I be able to lift a load of 80 kg and now, even after the rehabilitation work, it's a completely unrealistic exercise. Based on current progress, I hope to return to moderate training in April or May.

So, I have chosen to postpone my expedition in May 2013.
Why twelve more months? Because my departure requires a small weather window of two weeks sometime between mid-May to mid-June to allow me to cross the ocean at the speed imposed by my boat. Even if my arm were to be ready in July, the ocean would not allow me to complete the crossing.

These extra twelve months will enable me to better prepare myself. Having benefitted from the summer of 2011 by challenging myself to take off with my boat, I will now use this summer to complete my training as a navigator. I will meet from the ocean and sail with a crew aboard a yacht. Six weeks on the rough, frigid waters of the North Atlantic will serve as an optimal preparation and even more appropriate. When I think of all the experience I gained last year by rowing from Montreal to the Magdalen Islands, I cannot imagine the experience that I'll get between France, the great north and Quebec for six weeks of sailing on the ocean that I have dreamed of crossing for so long. This new experience will strengthen my chances of success for my own crossing.

Resilience can mean being more persistent, adjusting and taking advantage of every situation. I think I have the ability to bounce back and see things positively even during difficult times. To postpone the row to next year no longer worries me, I know I will succeed; it is only a matter of time.