Day 1 – The battle begins and a quick visit

The first few days of any ocean row can be particularly challenging and difficult. The physical energy rowers are expending cannot be understated. They will be sleep deprived as an early start on race day, combines with their new bouncy bedrooms on the boat, to reduce their chances to rest and recover from their exertion. In addition to this physical element of the challenge, is the mental and emotional challenges each individual is going through. Rowing away from a perfectly good island is a little like the start of a parachute jump when you jump out of a perfectly good plane. Of course you’ll never row an ocean if you give into your natural fears of losing sight of the shore but that doesn’t make it any easier. This can lead to additional stress and changing emotions especially during the first few days and nights at sea, at least until the crews become a little more accustomed to their new environment.

Both crews have found the conditions challenging so far, especially yesterday afternoon and especially Ocean’s Elite who, with only two rowers onboard have half the available power to push into a headwind. Normally the winds just off the south western quadrant of Gran Canaria are light as the bulk of the island provides a sheltered area which extends at least 50nm out into the sea to the South West. However, yesterday the winds swirled around so much that they generated a small area of headwinds for both crews. Rowing Stones were able to slowly push through it but with half the number of rowers onboard, Ocean’s Elite were digging out blind to maintain their position. Today we expect to see better progress from both crews as they push further west and out of the wind shadow generated by Gran Canaria.

We have already checked in this morning with both crews and they are doing well. Rowing Stones have had a little bit of sea sickness but are taking medication which are helping. They also have a few aches and pains but that’s completely understandable given the physical effort they are putting into their boat.

Ocean’s Elite confirmed that they are doing well but just very tired given yesterday’s physical efforts. They have also had a visit from a local coastguard vessel which popped by to say “hola!” this morning. After confirming the crew were fit and well the coastguard vessel returned to land. Although the crew did complain that the wake from the coastguard vessel did nearly tip them in!

In short this sort of report is extremely encouraging as is the progress made by the crews over their first day at sea. Things will never go perfectly, but the progress made to date and the engagement the crews are demonstrating shows us that the initial nerves are starting to be reduced and that they are beginning to find their feet.

We’re expecting the winds to increase for all crews late tonight and this will be the start of a 36 hour period where the weather will really test the crews before conditions relax a little more by Wednesday. If the crews can face this first challenge with the same fortitude they have shown in the last 24 hours, they will be absolutely fine.

Photograph courtesy of Ocean’s Elite – Chris Thrall