31 Jan 09

Peter has this to say - simply, if at first you don’t succeed, try again.

       10 Jan 09 

Day 6 - 588 miles West of Gran Canaria.   -  Hello from La Mondiale - our ocean rowing boat now nearly one fifth of the way across the Atlantic en route to Barbados - c. 2500 miles away!! What a 6 days it has been. We have been battling a cross wind for nearly all of the last 6 days but now we have just hit the coveted ‘trade winds’ that will hopefully help push us across to Barbados to set a new world record. The pace is blistering - we have averaged 100 miles a day for the past 6 and that has meat a lot of hard pulling, suffering and digging deep both physically and mentally.  With 2500 miles left and 24 days or so to cover the distance (if we are to go sub 30 days - the ‘4 minute mile’ of ocean rowing) we need to start averaging 105 miles a day.  Hopefully the trade winds will help us pull it off!  

A bit about my life on board - I row from 7:20am to 9:20am, from 11:20am to 1:20pm, from 3:20pm to 5:20pm, from 7:20pm to 9:20pm, from 11:20pm to 1:20am and finally from 3:20am to 5:20am and will be repeating that every day between now and early February.  In between, I tend to blisters, eat, sleep and wash.  It’s a huge challenge but all of our 14 man crew aboard are up to the task.  It breaks your heart sometimes, especially in the wee hours when you can’t see the rogue waves and you get drenched unexpectedly;  However, I take heart from the words of Nelson Mandela, one of my heroes, who once said that “even the most fantastic dreams can be achieved if we are prepared to endure life’s challenges”. The quote is written on the whole of our cabin. I’m not eating much - the ration packed food is fairly bland; I‘m devouring the Cadburys chocolate though - we get 4 bars of chocolate a day.  Stay tuned. More next week!Peter

Sun Jan 4th7am: I lie awake staring at the ceiling. It’s suddenly hit me – starting later today, I have to complete roughly 180 back-to-back 2 hour rowing shifts with a 2 hour break in between each one!! It’s only today really that it is has finally sunk in as to what I/we as a crew have to face up to over the next month or so. Since February, when I met Leven Brown (the skipper of the crew) to sign up for the row, I haven’t really had the time to think about what I had got myself into - now though, the reality of what lies ahead has hit me hard. However, the thought of our unrelenting rowing regime doesn’t fill me with dread; no, well kind of, moreover though, I’m buzzing with excitement as to what we as a crew are about to take on! Why? Because when else will I get the chance to do something similar in the normal run of life – not very often! I’m also thinking that I’m extremely lucky to have the opportunity to attempt to complete this row. There are many reasons for someone who may have similar aspirations to mine to not be allowed fulfil this goal – a lack of finances (ocean rowing is not a cheap sport) for one, a disability perhaps, an unsupportive employer or even an unsupportive girlfriend. The list goes on. Fortunately for me, I have been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and with none of the aforementioned to hold me back. For that, I am thankful, humbled and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to go out and do this row. Granted, there will be blisters, a sore arse (nearly my tag line at this stage!), tendonitis, sun burn, sleep deprivation, a daily calorie deficit, a claustrophobic cabin etc. etc., but that’s what I signed up for as well. I’d be surprised If you find me overplaying these things in subsequent blogs – it’s not like I can say ‘well, no-one ever told me it would be like this or whatever! Further, nothing great in life is easy so I secretly hope our voyage is not easy - else it wouldn’t really be that fulfilling in the end would it? More next week. Peter. Gran Canaria.

24 Dec 08

“Sat on the rowing machine last night for the last time - thankfully!!! Now all thats left to do is get a bit more plumper and get the boat 100% ready for departure. Getting to the start line has been a huge hurdle. I feel I am 50% of the way through this challenge even though it hasn’t even started yet. I am physically and mentally as ready as I can be”

‘Artemis Ocean Rowing 1′ The 2nd Atlantic Ocean ‘Trade Winds’ Expedition

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