16. How I Rowed Across the Atlantic and Found Florida

February 19

Southwest, Force 4—5. Waves still very high in spite of reduction in wind speed. Impossible to row and since the last three days have been completely overcast I have no idea of my position. This is no joke. Unless I can get out of here within the next week or two I will never make it to Florida before the end of May, and the hurricane season starts very soon thereafter. I had a month to spare when I left, now I am really pressed for time. Since leaving I have had eighty-five percent southwesterly winds—this in an area where there is supposed to be almost nothing else but northeasterly; so much for my luck. Have the gods abandoned me? Where are you, Venus?

February 21

A day of absolute calm, very hot (33°C). Cannot row during the day as it would mean losing too much body water. Must try and keep my water consumption down to one gallon every three days. The bottom of Britannia was lousy with barnacles and I decided to scrape it to improve speed. After looking around carefully to see if there were any sharks, I dived and started to work. I had barely finished the port side when something made me look behind. Coming slowly toward me from the bottom of the sea at a forty-five degree angle was one of the biggest sharks I have ever seen. It was twenty yards away and I didn't dare climb back into the boat for fear of leaving my legs exposed. Instead, I pulled my knife and flattened myself against the keel. I had encountered sharks before while skin diving in the Caribbean and they had always left me alone. But this was no dumb dogfish like the one I had caught the day before. It was a full-grown mako, a man-killer, and I was terrified. The bastard came straight at me without bothering to make a pass. I could only grit my teeth and wait, flat against the boat. When he was about a foot from me, my hand began to come down on him with the intention of slashing his nose. But he swerved as if to scratch himself against the boat, with me in between. My knife hand hit him with all the strength I could muster. Because of his last movement I missed the nose and caught him under the mouth in the underbelly, and seven inches of razor-sharp blade went in. The sea exploded in front of me. With a burst of energy the shark pulled away from me and in doing so ripped himself open. I was scraped on the arm and received a terrific blow from the mako's tail. As he sped away I could see entrails hanging. I scrambled into Britannia, sore and battered, but otherwise okay.

February 24

At sunset a Russian ship, the Talsy, stopped by, and I went aboard. Everyone was extremely kind and seemed to be in no hurry. The captain invited me to his quarters and I had a drink of vodka with him and we toasted the success of my venture. Thought this might be the last ship I'll meet since I am now leaving the shipping lanes. Got cans of food and water and a jug of apple juice.