Day 44 to Antigua - 17 January 2023

ARRIVAL DAY! One family with a sailing yacht sail out in the afternoon to see Roxy. What a surprise! Cheers go up from the crew seeing a few familiar faces.... confirmation in their minds they are now so very close to their finishing point.

Families meet at Bar-B's at 11pm with anticipation. Time ticks away and near midnight news comes in that Roxy is now near Falmouth Harbour. A rib sets out to greet them at Bishops Reef, the entrance point to the Harbour to record the arrival time and guide them through the Harbour in the dark to the jetty where family are now waiting. As Roxy's red and green (port and starboard) headlights appear in the dark distance they hear families cheering with great woo hoos! and huge applause.

A small Roxy glides through the huge luxury yachts with ease, slowly emerging out of the darkness. The crew with massive smiles begin to see familiar family faces on the harbour side after what has been a long and tough six weeks at sea. Each crew member is carefully helped off the boat on very weak wobbly legs, the men look very hairy and all look tired and dishevelled, but grinning with happiness to be greeted by loved ones.

A small celebration of drinks and snacks is shared and the stories begin. Stories that will continue over the coming days, months and no doubt years to come.  What an adventure! An incredible achievement.

Congratulations to all the crew, and a massive thank you to Rannoch Adventure for organising this journey, keeping all on board safe and well throughout the good and hard time, and all the families informed throughout.

Day 43 to Antigua - 16 January 2023

Conditions remain calm and we make slow progress. Our ETA to Antigua shifts with every slow stroke. Where we hope to reach Falmouth Harbour around 6-7pm local time tomorrow, it is now likely to be midnight. (4am 18th GMT).

Families gather together in Antigua and share stories of how its been back home over the duration of the crossing. They are all strangely similar. They listen to briefings of what to expect on their arrival, how the crew may feel overwhelmed with a large gathering and need space, to remember they have been so isolated with just the same 12 people for 6 weeks. They may be hungry, so have food prepared, they may prioritise a shower before lots of attention, they may just want to sleep.... the list of maybes is long. Just go with the flow and be prepared for anything!

Day 42 to Antigua - 15 January 2023

Sunday morning brings brilliant rowing conditions. We’ve got the boat running really smoothly with some silent rowing - it’s a real joy. Later on and the ocean is becoming a real slog again, making it very difficult to get the desired mileage. But we dig deep and grind it out. The sun is beating down with little cloud cover and barely a breeze. 

With 145 miles to go, we can almost smell Antigua.

Day 41 to Antigua - 14 January 2023

Saturday and what a difference a day makes. The ocean feels like treacle making the rowing really slow going - we’re all hoping for a sudden change in sea conditions. On the plus side, we pass the 200 miles to go mark this afternoon with another rendition of our now customary song.

Day 40 to Antigua - 13 January 2023

During the night the ocean turns choppy as wind speed increases - it's back to wearing waterproofs. Early Friday morning brings a chorus of ‘I shall row 300 miles!’

The boat is covering good mileage on each shift as the wind and waves force us along in the right direction. The occasional breaking wave on port side is akin to a middle aged man just cruising along, port side however is like a juvenile teenager throwing tantrums every 5 minutes. Fun times!

Day 39 to Antigua  - 12 January 2023

Thursday morning demonstrates how we react to tiredness and don’t leave a rower feeling alone. The incoming stroke rower is extremely tired and it soon becomes clear from their body language that they are suffering both mentally and physically. A quick change of rowing positions and that rower soon has a buddy watching over them, a warm coffee and a more relaxing position on the row deck. Quick and positive thinking eases one person's hardship.

The sea remains calm until night time. The wind drops throughout the day too, meaning boat speed is low and heavy going. It's an opportunity to empty the row deck lockers of main meals to boost the reserves in both front and aft cabins. A quick look shows a whole new array of flavoursome meals. 

A recalculation based on today’s mileage has us arriving in Falmouth Harbour on Tuesday morning - can't wait for a mug of tea!

Day 38 to Antigua - 11 January 2023

We pass the 400 miles to go mark on Wednesday; the miles are tumbling just like our weight - everyone is being told they look thinner, leaner or just gaunt! We're conversing about hair length and beard structure- not the kind of chat we had 6 weeks ago - a sign of the common bond we now have.

Day 37 to Antigua - 10 January 2023

It's Tuesday and there's a relaxed feeling on board with music playing and Liquorice Allsorts being shared. There are some squally waves hitting the deck but the ocean is now significantly warmer. We moan about the wave and then carry on as if nothing had happened. 

Day 36 to Antigua  - 9 January 2023

Monday and we're nearing the end of week 6. We have calm seas and a light breeze and so take the opportunity for a final hull scrub before reaching our destination. We are talking about our first meal or drink on reaching Falmouth Harbour. Only 560 miles to go (equivalent of Lands End to John O’Groats).

Skipper’s quote of the week: "Take a minute to reflect on all that you have achieved and dream of what is yet to come."

Day 35 to Antigua - 8 January 2023

Sunday 8 January:  the sea was calm and we enjoyed a few refreshing showers from the skies. Suddenly, the six rowers on the oars break out into ‘I will row 600 miles’. Everyone senses the mileage coming down. 

The novelty of living in such close proximity with others is wearing thin in places, but generally, everyone is helping one another through their periods of total tiredness, sleep deprivation and this repetitive lifestyle. At times it can be hard, challenging, whilst other moments represent an opportunity never to be forgotten.

We empty some of the on-deck lockers of dehydrated food and replenish the cabin stocks, in the hope of finding new and un-tried flavours, or just more of our favourite meals.

Days 33-34 to Antigua  - 6-7 January 2023

Since the swamping, one shift lost all of their shoes, water bottles and food bowls. This has meant a great deal of sharing and logistics at shift changeover time making it more complex than before. But we are making it work so morale is not affected. A friend in need is a friend indeed!

Friday evening sees a chorus of ‘I will row 700 miles!’ followed by 3 cheers. The simple things are so satisfying.

By Saturday, we’re counting down the days to go. 

Day 32 to Antigua - 5 January 2023

Thursday calls for essential maintenance as skipper Dawn smells burning. It transpires the seals in the auto helm are worn out. Replacing these on a flat surface in daylight is relatively straightforward - not so on a boat lurching from side to side, front to back and in the dark. But the work is completed safely.

Later that morning and it's a chorus of ‘I shall row 800 miles’. They can really sense the mileage coming down. The waves keep hitting them, full on, in the face. Who said ocean rowing was easy?

That night one huge wave crashes on the aft cabin. Bang! We look up to see this absolutely massive wave rearing up. It fills our vision and there’s a collective shout of ‘ohhhhhhh!’. As it breaks and runs aside of us, we are swamped. 'Keep rowing’ is the skipper’s call, but none of us sees what is about to happen. A second big wave is building and before we can deal with the first swamping, the second wave breaks with a serious amount of water filling the deck. We are sitting, thigh deep in water with a major list of possibly 70 degrees. ‘Everyone on starboard’ is the call. Eventually we regain control and composure, but some loose equipment is washed away. A quick check, and everyone on the row deck is fine, everyone in the fore cabin is fine and everyone in the aft cabin is fine.

Days 30-31 to Antigua - 3-4 January 2023

3 January - Tuesday morning calls for skipper Dawn to become Doctor Dawn too. A solid lump, the size of an egg yolk, on a rower’s back side makes sitting down highly uncomfortable. After consultation, it was decided that as there was no whisky on board, antibiotics would suffice.

4 January - Wednesday morning calls for a chorus of ‘I shall row 900 miles’ - our own version of that Proclaimers classic. The wind speed increases throughout the day, as do the size of waves. By evening, we are achieving 7.3 knots and surfing down the faces of waves with great frequency.

Wednesday evening and the wind is intense; it’s not a case of getting wet, it’s how wet shall I get? Throughout the night, the bearing we’re on is reduced in an attempt to ease the rough ride. It worked!

Day 29 to Antigua - 2 January 2023

As they row on, there is a cheer from the row deck. Less than 1000 miles to go! The display clicks down to 999nm - It's a significant mind game changer to go down to 3 digits. A major milestone for this feat of endurance and perseverance. The whole crew are knocking it out of the park!

Skipper’s quote of the week: “Consider the distance you’ve covered and not simply the distance to go.”

The day continues with another opportunity to clean Roxy's hull - a good job as it is becoming a mobile aquarium with so much sea life attached. 

As week 4 comes to an end, they have a near catastrophe on board as it was thought the ‘blue toilet bucket’ had been lost overboard. Fortunately it was captured and all breathed a sigh of relief!

That night we see a ship on the horizon but it's not showing on the AIS. We radio them to advise of our location and receive a curt response ‘We are a large ship’. They eventually advise it is a US Navy ship. Ironically, just before the sighting, our depth gauge warning sensor is tripped. Could there be a submarine in the vicinity too?

Day 27-28 to Antigua - 31 December 2022 - 1 January 2023

Saturday and its New Year’s Eve. They row in lumpy conditions with the understanding that sunny weather and flat sea conditions are heading their way. They pass the 1111 miles to go mark and everyone is feeling the routine!

There's a small celebration at midnight by way of a cheer by the on-watch rowers to mark the start of 2023. It's a stark moment committed to memory to celebrate in the dark, far away from the usual commotion, fireworks and camaraderie.

New Year's Day and the long awaited treat arrives for Neil by way of his one allocated phone call home. A brief time to catch up and to hear the voice of someone missed is poignant on both sides of the call - a much needed connection boost which lifts the spirit and reinvigorates the soul.

The talk on the boat is about ‘how many days till we reach Antigua?’ Everyone has their favourite dehydrated food sachet and trading between the fore and aft cabins commences!

Days 25-26 to Antigua - 29-30 December 2022

We see a sailing yacht on the horizon - a bright orange main sail, unmissable! We watch its course with eager interest until speaking with them on the radio. They can’t see our small rowing boat, but after tacking and jibbing, they’re able to come within speaking distance and take photos of us. It may seem trivial, but after having no contact with any other ship for 24 days, this sent everyone’s spirits sky high.

That night the moon filled the sky with light which makes for easier shift changes and generally means rowers chat through the ‘graveyard shifts’ rather than being introspective!

30 December sees relatively flat water and the sun comes out, spirits are lifted and once again, the boat is full of washing drying in the breeze, and we start a music quiz to help pass the time. What a life!

Eat, sleep, row, repeat!

Day 24 to Antigua - 28 December 2022

28 December brings calmer seas and a chance to start to row 'normally' again, as opposed to the war of attrition we have been waging against the sea. Tonight our old friend, the moon, reappears. At times the ocean is eerily calm and quiet, and then, without warning, a wave appears and hits someone full on in the face!

We’re all getting used to the '5 minute rule' - within 5 minutes of a shift changeover, it either starts raining or a wave douses the rowers about to complete their shift. Either way, the outgoing rowers are sure to be returning to the cabin wet!

Day 23 to Antigua - 27 December 2022

6am is a big moment as we officially reach half way. 1406nm rowed, 1406nm to go!

Lighter winds but still big seas and the occasional big breaker on board. Every now and then we shout "Everyone lean Starboard" which means squashed bodies in the cabins! We are all looking forward to lighter and flatter conditions and an opportunity to dry out.

By 6pm the tracker apps show we are experiencing 24kt wind with 33kt gusts, and 4m waves…. but big waves pushing us in the right direction. We are getting very wet and salty and we’re needing to be extra careful on safety. Standing up on shift changes in this wind is no easy task. Each time a wave rushes over the deck, everyone checks with their neighbours if they are alright, there is a real sense of caring for each other on Roxy. Tough times but they are also excited to be doing so many miles - 84nm in one 24 hour period! 

Morale is up knowing distance to land is now closer than travelled so far.

Day 22 to Antigua - 26 December 2022

Today the Christmas cheer has disappeared. The wind blows at 25-30 knots and the waves bear down on them. Rowers are taking a serious dousing, but good progress is being made, especially when we surf down the face of one particular wave and hit 9.1 knots! What proves difficult is getting the boat back on track when the power of the ocean becomes so great that it overrides the auto helm. It's then all hands on deck to get back on track - tough work against the overwhelming power of Mother Nature.

Skipper's quote of the week: "You need to experience the rough times to appreciate the good times!"

Looking back on Christmas we are thankful for life's basics - health, happiness, family and friends. Even though Santa brought gifts of Coca Cola and Christmas cake, we will be eternally grateful to their skipper for ensuring their safety in some quite nasty conditions.

Day 21 to Antigua - 25 December 2022

Christmas Day - The waves are bigger now. At midnight a wave hits, displacing two rowers off their seats. At one point, the whole crew lean to one side to prevent the boat from rolling. These conditions are more akin to white water rafting than rowing! In the face of one 18 foot wave, our speed peaks at 8.3 knots.

Day 20 to Antigua - 24 December 2022

The waves are back with a vengeance. The afternoon and nighttime shifts turn into a bucking bronco whilst they try to celebrate Christmas Eve. At 4pm, we put the oars down for a few minutes and have a moment to reflect on Christmas away from family and friends. A delicious cake is even produced by Carla during a rest shift, using the remaining digestive biscuits and condensed milk. It tasted amazing.

Days 18-19 to Antigua - 22-23 December 2022

It takes until lunchtime for conditions to be deemed 'calm'. Flying fish show us how to be propelled above the waves. Unfortunately, humans can't levitate!

During the night, conditions rapidly deteriorate into high winds and big swell. Skipper, Dawn advises of the rough weather protocol concerning crew movements around the boat. This is not a night for the faint hearted! Our bodies work in a gyroscopic manner as the boat leans and lurches with every incoming wave. Our core muscles work overtime.

By Friday morning, tired rowers are willing their shifts to come to an end so they can get some respite. The conditions ease by lunchtime so we deploy safety ropes, spotters and scrubbers for another successful mid ocean clean of Roxy's hull.

Day 16 to Antigua - 20 December 2022

Tuesday Day 16 is much of the same. Tired bodies, both on the oars and in the cabins. That evening it feels like the weather has worsened. Higher wind speed, bigger incoming waves crashing on deck and more frequent soakings. The rowing at times is not pretty. No smiling or conversing, just grimacing - it's a case of ‘heads down and grind it out’.

There is reflection knowing we signed up for everything we are experiencing but no one is fully prepared for this mental, psychological and physical strain. The crew are demonstrating that they are tougher than the sum of the individuals. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Day 15 to Antigua - 19 December 2022

Monday offers a chance to have a minute's silence, a rare opportunity for self reflection, to listen to the rolling waves before a round of applause by the crew for the crew. Conversations have moved towards ‘have you any sores?’ and ‘how can we get more energy from dehydrated food’.

Skipper’s quote of the week: "Better to wear away than rust away" We are living the dream!

By night conditions deteriorate once again. The crew are back in their foul weather gear and waves are breaking on deck. Not much cheer to be heard, but rather a lot of groans each time a wave breaks on board. No one avoided a good dousing.

Day 12 to Antigua - 16 December 2022

The sun rises at 8.20am. Paul observes that the later sunrise demonstrates that we are making headway westward - we really are travelling back in time!

Later the wind picks up and the waves start to build again. Some of the crew are hit square in the face by waves and expletives can be heard. By evening, the conditions could be regarded as gnarly and the breaking waves keep coming. By night time, the wind is blowing a hooley but we row on persevering with grit and determination and by morning, we’re tired and struggle to stay awake. But, as a team, we grind it out

Day 11 to Antigua - 15 December 2022

Calmer seas but it turns out to be a tough day physically and mentally with breaking waves dowsing the starboard rowers. A dark evening with no moonlight until 8.30pm makes for a quiet and concentrated row. This in turn leads to tired bodies, minds and souls but we hang in there.

Life stories of action, resolve and joviality help throughout the rowing shifts as we bond even closer as a group.

Day 10 to Antigua - 14 December 2022

Ominous looking clouds appear. The wind changes direction and increases in speed which means waves over Roxy's gunnel and wet rowers.

We celebrate 500 nautical miles rowed by playing The Proclaimers 500 miles.

Day 9 to Antigua - 13 December 2022

The evening's activity is hull scrubbing for the first time. Four people get into the ocean, connected to spotters on board via a safety rope and rid the boat of saline build up. Roxy definitely feels lighter.

Day 8 to Antigua - 12 December 2022

The ocean is starting to 'roll' as the wind is now in our favour. One moment we see where the sky and ocean meet at the horizon and then there's a sense of being at the bottom of a wave cycle and all there is to see is blue ocean.

The Monday morning stunning sunshine buoyed enthusiasm and energy after a challenging night shift. Watch patterns are working smoothly, shift changes becoming slicker, and conversation becoming more in-depth.

As the first week at sea ends, 349 nautical miles are ticked off. Not a bad effort given the squally conditions in the first few days.

Day 7 to Antigua - 11 December 2022

At around 2.30am we were able to marvel as a whale came up beside the boat making us feel so small and vulnerable, it then breached right beside us. What a sight!

The night just keeps giving with every oar stroke the phosphorescence algae glows, almost like fire flies. The stars and bioluminescence amazed the crew to silence. It's the first shift where nobody really spoke, we just watched in awe as we rowed. Wow!

As the weather continues to improve the days are sunny at around 30degrees and we continue to pick up speed touching on 3 knots.

Days 5-6 to Antigua - 9-10 December 2022

Conditions have improved considerably. The ocean is like a mill pond. Roxy starts turning west, and pick up speed to 3.6 knots. The afternoon shift fancies a challenge - how fast can we go? Game on! They get to 6.2 knots and cheer! Next challenge - how fast in 10 strokes? Achieving 5.7 knots!

The warm 30degree sunshine has meant some have managed to wash clothes and hang them out to dry - to the outsider, Roxy must have looked like a dhobi wallah junk in Hong Kong!

Day 5 the first birthday celebration onboard  brought out plenty of smiles. Happy Birthday Honorine. Day 6 and another birthday, music and plenty of chat onboard today. Happy birthday Paul.

The crew are pushing through nicely.

Day 3-4 to Antigua - 7-8 December 2022

Day 3 continued to be strong headwinds with everyone pushing really hard, battling with the oncoming weather, and making as best progress as possible. With some of the crew still feeling a littleseasick, they continue south for now.

By the afternoon of day 4 the weather has started to abate with the wind turning in our favour, and we are able to pick up the pace reaching 2 knots, which makes us all feel happier. Report from skipper Dawn, "the crew have done an incredible job and all is well on board."

Well done team Roxy!

Day 2 to Antigua - 6 December 2022

We are making slow progress with the first 24 hours through choppy waters and strong headwinds. Some of the crew have suffered seasickness, which is usual until the body becomes used to the rhythm of the ocean.

The strong winds means rowing is only at the slow and arduous pace of only 0.5-1 knot. We are rowing south to avoid the weather system to the west. Once we pass these stormy seas we will turn and head west to Antigua.

On a good note - the first beautiful sunset makes the hard rowing a little easier.

Keep checking the tracker to watch our progress. Thanks

Tenerife: Day 8

Day 1 to Antigua - 5 December 2022

Departure Day

Final preparations and checks were made, including cleaning the underside of the boat - an important job so no small sealife makes the hull their home, as this will attract small fish, which then attract larger fish, and this leads to larger sea mammals we'd rather not encounter!

Once final checks were made, there was a short wait for the wind to drop before we launched. We set off at 4pm to loud horns and cheers. It was a momentous day. The last dry land until Antigua in 6-7 weeks!  Farewell my friends

Tenerife: Day 6-7 - 3-4 December 2022

Team talk

To keep our focus Charlie, the main man at Rannoch Adventure, gave the team a lesson on the effectiveness of the team rowing, phasing though the stroke, timing at the catch, the leg drive and finally the arms. All with the necessity to feel we are rowing the ocean, rather than having been rowed across the ocean. He then demonstrated the extra length of stroke simply by reaching at the catch without over reaching - the power we can produce by maintaining a dynamic body shape - all super interesting!

We later received news on our departure...

As there will be low pressure over the Azores and anti-clockwise winds... so it will be choppy for the first 24 hours but it optimises where we may be to get the best weather - so we'll be heading off tomorrow at 4pm.  GAME ON!

Tenerife: Day 5 - 2 December 2022

Ever seen a parachute anchor?

There is real danger that we will face huge storms which could blow us of course or backwards!

To prevent this as much as possible we have a parachute anchor onboard. This is on an 80m long rope to cast far out into the ocean. The huge parachute then fills with water preventing Roxy being blown backwards in strong winds.

Meanwhile the crew will be crammed inside the two tiny cabins until the storm passes. It may seem an exhilaration but believe me this is a 'no frills' experience.

Tenerife: Day 3 - 30 November 2022

Weather charts and Plotting

After a morning rowing session, we were back into the classroom for a session on learning to read weather charts and how to plot a course.

A really interesting day topped off by seeing a global tracker app showing water currents and speeds in real time. So impressive, we are buzzing!

Tenerife: Day 2 - 29 November 2022

Maintenance and First Aid

You should never underestimate the importance of maintenance checks and knowing your first aid on a trip this significant.

A classroom session on first aid has been completed. We now know how to plug up a hole in the chest as well as how to use gaffer tape to hold open wounds together.  Good to know!

The first aid stocks have now been checked and stowed onboard. Everything from gaviscon and laxatives to bottom cream!... not forgetting the body bag, which we truly hope will remain unopened!

Tenerife: Day 1 - 28 December 2022

Unpacking and repacking

It's essential that everyone on board knows where everything is... and with limited space every inch of the boat is used.

Just how many packets of dehydrated food is necessary for 10 people on board? All high in calories so everyone can keep on rowing!

- and ensuring you stash your favourite somewhere safe!  (will it be the custard apple crunch or the chocolate orange?)