From all of us at Simply Moyer we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous year! And please, keep our site clean in the new year by wiping up all drool caused by staring at future photos of Steve.
Get a Cap Like the Ones Bertie and James Wear; Help Facing the World
Didja notice the caps in the videos from yesterday’s post about Bertie and James’ first month at sea?
We sent six caps to our lads so’s to keep their handsome heads from burning before they rowed off to Barbados. Four of them carry FTA logos designed by Tincar and you can buy them in our Simply Portal shop. ALL proceeds go to Facing the World via Facing the Atlantic’s fund raiser. They’re adjustable and available in khaki and white.
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Here’s James in one of the Coolibar sunscreen caps we sent!

We also have a couple of interesting updates about our boys and their progress (which is fantastic!). We learned yesterday that the way points they use to navigate their way across the Atlantic are programmed into their GPS and change according to weather, position, etc. Right now Bertie and James are heading straight for WP5 and skipping WP4.
Also, from their Facebook page we learn: Every 250 nautical miles they do is another 10% done of their journey. So far they have completed 30%. Next goal to look out for is when they have 1500 nm left to row which will 40% DONE! Come on boys!!!!
As of 1200 today their 24-hour VMG is 4.53 knots (they must be surfing some good waves!), 24 hour-DMG is 44.24 nautical miles, and distance to finish is 1,702 miles. They’ve done remarkably well considering everyone else had a three-day head start.
Remember to visit the Talisker tracking site and leave encouraging messages for our rowers!
True Blood Makes USA Today’s Top 10 List
Was there ever any doubt? True Blood has made a number of top 10 lists for their 2011 season, including Bianculli’s Best TV list for NPR. And now, USA Today has given their thumbs up.
Videos: Facing the Atlantic’s First Month at Sea
This is pretty exciting! All the boats participating in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge are keeping video diaries. A journalist on board Aurora, the support yacht, puts them together and regularly posts new ones to the Talisker tracking site. Here’s part one of Bertie and James’ Atlantic adventure for Facing the World:
And part two:
And here’s their Christmas message!
Ah James …
Remember you can leave messages for the boys on the Talisker site; just scroll to near the bottom of the page on the right side.
Here’s an update from their Facebook page that Sam posted this morning:
Update. Despite being blown a bit off course overnight, the boys are on good form and just keeping at it. The seas were quite big last night, so they put the drogue out and got some rest. Today it’s brighter and they’re managing to surf he waves a bit more. Sadly they are unable to see the Talisker website but I passed on as many of the many messages the satellite phone/signal would allow me to. Your words of encouragement are SO important to them, so please don’t give up!
The latest update indicates their 24-hour VMG is 3.4 knots, their 24-hour DMG is 48.64 nautical miles, and they have 1,749 nm to finish! They’re doing fantastically well!
Here’s a look at the oar that snapped, in half, during some really heavy seas. They now have three good oars, and one cracked one that they’ve repaired.
Keep checking in on our friends, Bertie and James, and let them know we’re behind them all the way to Barbados! They rock.
Happy Holidays from Simply Moyer!
Simply Moyer would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a peaceful, healthy, and happy holiday weekend and a wonderful New Year! Thanks to you all for your continued support!
A great big thank you to Moonlight91 for this gorgeous photo montage!
Life on the Atlantic: Rowing and Chores, Rowing and Snores
Very early this morning at 2:45 EST the Breakfast Show with Gaby Roslin and Paul Ross on BBC Radio called Bertie and James out in the Atlantic for a short interview. Bertie was on the oars and James was on the phone talking to the shows hosts. You can listen to the interview for the next seven days only at the BBC Web site. It starts at approximately the 1:44 mark.
Cashy told the interviewers it was before dawn during the call and that it gets quite chilly at night. They hadn’t expected that but they do have water-and-wind proof clothing to wear before the sun comes up. We all know the boys have been rowing naked lately in the hot sun. When asked what they do all day Cashy replied it’s “rowing and chores” in the daytime and “rowing and snores” at night. Their objective is to keep Patience constantly moving.
He also explained they’re constantly wet, something that surprised them as they thought conditions would be drier, at least in their tiny cabin. In daylight hours the cabin is “quite hot” and condensation drips on you constantly. How are they getting any sleep? Also, their clothes never really dry out.
The interviewers asked about Bertie and James’ charity, Facing the World, and James gave a nice explanation of why Bertie decided to row across the Atlantic to raise money for it. He gave out their Twitter name and URL for their Web site. If you’re not finished with your holiday shopping please consider making a donation!
It was a short interview and really great to hear Cashy’s voice.
You can also leave messages for Bertie and James on the Talisker Whisky tracking site in a form near the bottom of the page. Bertie and James read them when they’ve got a few minutes so send our brave rowers a nice Christmas message!
Here’s a video that all the rowing teams made before leaving La Gomera to send Christmas greetings to all:
Hear Bertie & James LIVE Tomorrow on BBC Radio
UPDATE! Bertie and James have reached the 2,000 nm mark!
Live from the Atlantic Ocean (and possibly naked) Bertie and James of Facing the Atlantic will be interviewed on BBC Radio London 94.9 FM at around 7:30-ish a.m. UTC/GMT time. That’s around 2:30 a.m. EST.
As of the most recent update on the Talisker tracking Web site Bertie and James are about nine nautical miles from reaching the 1,999 left to go mark. They’re rowing together again after repairing the cracked oar, playing music on the loudspeakers and singing along (yesterday Frank Sinatra was in the playlist) while rowing naked in the sun.
If their interview is available to listen to online later in the day, we’ll be sure to let you know where to find it.
There’s a new feature on the Talisker tracking site that allows everyone to send a message to their favorite team and it will appear on the Web site!
Row like hell, Team FTA!
Bill and Sookie – “A match made in heaven.”
Ryan Kwanten was in Venice, Ca. recently and while sitting down for a chat with “Extra”, he gave some insight into True Blood’s season 5 and more importantly, Bill & Sookie. There’s no spoiler alert this time, as you’ll need to watch the video for anything you might consider minor spoilers.
Although sworn to secrecy, the actor also dished a little on the upcoming Season 5 of his popular HBO series, saying, “This season I would say is the season of controversy. We’re going to turn some heads this season. We’re going to pull back to where they were and then some. If we cracked open the door before, we’re going to smash it down.”
As for what happens to Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Bill (Stephen Moyers), Kwanten said, “There’s more in store for them, I think. They were a match made in heaven, but with him being the King now and with her dealing with her new fairy status, there’s all sorts of things that are keeping them apart.”
Let’s hope this eventually is good news for True Blood’s most romantic couple.
2′nd Annual “Twas The Night Before Christmas”
Done Simply Moyer style, of course.
by Tincar aka Tina Carreiro
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Compton house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Stackhouse.
The stockings were flung over the office chair,
While Bill ate his assistant without any care.
The vampires were silvered all burning in their beds,
While visions of witches danced in their heads.
And Jessica in her red dress, and Jason in his cap,
Had just settled in the pickup truck for a late night snack.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Bill sprang from Portia Bellefleur to see what was the matter.
Away to the window he flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of Sookie and Eric’s snow,
Gave the lustre of Narnia and Bill knew he must go.
When, what to his wondering eyes should appear,
But Marnie, and eight souls she’d commandeered.
With a flick of her wrist, so lively and quick,
He found his back against Eric’s, and they were tied to a stick.
More rapid than vampires her coursers they came,
And she levitated, and chanted, and called them by name!
“Now Tara! Now, Sookie! Now, Holly and Roy!
Wake the dead! Wake the dead! Wake the dead with Joy!
To the center of the circle! To the edge of the flame!
Now burn vampires! Burn! Burn away all!”
As the fire climbed up the wood toward the sky,
Bill knew at that moment, he may die.
So he looked toward Sookie to see if she knew,
With her eyes full of tears, she felt it too.
And then in a howling, he heard on the ground
The crunching and crawling of souls renewed and abound.
As Bill drew his head, and turned it around,
Out of the graveyard, Gran came with a bound.
Dressed in white, from her head to the hem of her gown,
Her clothes were all glowy with dirt from the ground.
A bundle of wisdom flew, from her mouth,
And she looked the same, as that fatal night at the house.
Her eyes twinkled when she smiled so merry!
Although her cheeks had lost the color of cherry!
Her mouth drew into a tight flat line,
And she rushed toward Lafayette with one thing in mind.
With Gran’s arm buried deep between his lips,
She yanked Marnie’s spirit out with a flip.
Bill had a burnt face and a scorched ripped belly,
He turned toward Sookie and her knees shook like jelly!
She looked away, in spite of herself,
And Bill buried his feelings within himself!
With a wink of his eye, and a tilt of his head.
Soon gave her to know she’d be back in his bed.
Bill spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
He staked Nan, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside Sookie’s cheek.
Gave her a nod, as she left feeling bleak!
Bill sprang to his office, to his team gave a whistle,
And Eric gave the gay stormtroopers an abrupt dismissal.
But we heard Bill exclaim, ‘ere Sookie walked out of sight,
“I’ll love you forever, you’ll be back another night!”

















