Change of blog site.

We have a new website for our Atlantic Challenge which has an integral blog and therefore we will not be updating this blog any more.

Please continue to follow our progress at www.oarsomechallenge.co.uk.

Climate Change!

Lia and I flew into Stanstead airport at 17.30 yesterday to be greeted by 3 inches of snow and a temperature of -1. Just five hours earlier we had been complaining about how hot the taxi was on Tenerife as we hunted for a surf shop to buy some foot straps for the boat on the way to the airport. The display in the taxi was reading 24 degrees.

I had only shorts to wear on the journey as I had sent all but my rowing clothes home with my family a week and a half ago figuring that the next stop for me was Antigua via rowing boat. It was with some relief that on leaving the plane that it had connected to one of those covered walkways so was spared the usual trek across the tarmac you get with budget airlines (thank Thompson Airlines).

A slightly surreal experience being at home in the lead up to Christmas when I had expected to be a third of the way across the Atlantic, especially knowing that I will be back in the Canary Islands within the week and still have an ocean to row!

With family visiting I was clearing the snow off my trusty truck this morning and it was then off to the supermarket for those last minute items (oh the unexpected joys of Christmas).

Ready Steady Cook Lia Style!

During the short time that Lia has been my rowing partner I have been delighted by her ability to create tasty meals form the somewhat sparse and ecclectic selection of ingredients in our apartment fridge. We have been entertained with an excellent Thai coconut Curry and Chorizo sausage with rice and vegetables.

Today however was the crowning glory to a week of cooking Canary Islands style. For breakfast this morning we had the novel and interesting mix of ingredients "fried egg and fruit flapjack".

To be fair to Lia though we are trying to eat up what is left before we leave on Friday.The flap jack had been donated to us by 'Team Insight' a fours crew in the race and had a very interesting taste of fibre glass having been stored in their boat for some time.

This was washed down with a glass of Chocolate protein shaake as we try to build our reserves up for the start of the race. Yum!!!!!!!!

Any suggestions for other menu's gratefully received.

Simon Chalk Unveils his latest Ocean Rowing Boat!

We were privileged today to be present when race organiser Simon Chalk (who has rowed 4 oceans) unveiled the prototype for his new ocean rowing boat. Simon described the boat as 'taking ocean rowing back to it's roots' and plans to build the new boat out of Carbon Fibre, used dehydrated meal packets and beer mats from the Blue Marlin (the legendary ocean rowers bar here in San Sebastian). Although quite a lot smaller than current ocean rowing boats it should suit diminuitive rowers like Simon especially as it is quite 'beamy' compared to it's length.

Simon is seen in the picture showing off his revolutionary design and we are pleased to have it proudly moored next to our boat.

Just in case you think we are sitting in the sunshine with our feet up.....!

We have tried to use the extra time that we have in La Gomera wisely and have today been repacking our food supplies (for the 4th time). Due to the amount of salt water that washes over the boat we have to be very careful to ensure that none gets into our food and destroys it. The food is stored in compartments under the deck of the boat which have waterproof hatch covers however no hatch is ever completely watertight so we have spent the day double packing each days supplies in 2 layers of plastic baags and sealing them with tape.

This is a long and laborious process we managed to repack approximately 25% of our food in 4.5 hours. This was aided by the fact that it was hot with bright sunshine after yesterdays rain. This also has it's disadvantages as the main cabin on the boat where we sleep was 35 degrees this afternoon.

The pictures above show us packing the food back into the boat.

We hope to finish the job tomorrow before flying home if the weather holds, it has however in the last hour started throwing it down with rain again so we will have to see what the morning brings.

Boat Preparations

The delay in the start to the race has in a lot of ways, up until now, been really good news for us as we have had a chance to use Lia's ocean experience to change things on the boat and professionalise the operation.





This had been an interesting experience for us both. To have an ocean professional inspect every bit of the boat and equipment and give a brutally honest opinion as to whether it will last the distance or not is challenging (especially as it has been two years of extremely hard work to get to this point). For Lia to join a completely amateur campaign put together by a bloke who knows very little about oceans is equally challenging in a reverse way and shows that she has taken an enormous leap of faith in doing so.





By trading food with other crews and the support boats we have been able to lighten the boat considerably and have removed upto 100 kilos of weight. This will also give us a greater variety of food to choose from, which is important as we have to eat 2-3times the normal daily intake and meals bacome highlights of the day between rowing sessions.





We have also concentrated on trying to make everything on the boat as strong and as watertight as possible and Lia's experience has been invaluable in doing so. We are currently having some new hatches made and also have spent a lot of time finding appropriate foam to make seat cushions. Sitting rowing for 12 hours a day takes an awful toll on ones behind, so 'butt care' is very important.

Flying Home For Christmas! (or nearly)

Due to the delay in the race start date it is now more cost effective for us to fly home for a week than stay in La Gomera. We have been renting an apartment and the cost of doing this until race start date now exceeds the cost of flights home and back.

I have now been here for nearly four weeks and although not looking forward to the English weather it will be great to back for a while. Lia left England in May to drive a powerboat to Spain and has not returned since then as she has had a series of jobs including running the power boat and delivering a 48ft Carbon catarmaran from South Africa to Dubai amongst others.

On the subject of weather you will be pleased to hear that it is now raining heavily so we can sympathise a little with you all in cold old England and elsewhere around the world. It is however strangely warm and we are still in shorts and flip flops, so it's not all bad.

As a result we will be flying back on Friday afternoon (I'm not looking forward to landing at Stanstead as I only have shorts and flip flops. I sent all my other clothes back last week thinking we would be starting rowing).

We have to be back in La Gomera 48 hours before race start (13:00 27th Dec)and can only get flights back to meet this deadline on Christmas day. We therefore will be flying back to the Canary Islands at midday on Christmas Day so no Turkey for us! unless Luton Airport offers it in the departure lounge (Yum!)