Ocean Rowing: Human-Powered Atlantic Crossing! Not Today Blog 37
Every year, 40 teams set off to sea in La Gomera to row 4800 kilometres across the Atlantic Ocean. These men and women are taking part in the world’s toughest ocean rowing race, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
Madness
A wild mix of solo-rowers, pairs, trios, fours and five-men teams aim to break world records and raise money for charity. A journey of a lifetime. Athletes and novices alike spend up to three years of intense planning and training to prepare for 30-meter waves, sleep deprivation, marlin attacks and capsize.
Each rower will spend 12 to 16 hours a day on the oars in ridiculous shift systems that allow for maybe one hour of sleep at a time. The number of calories burnt each day is hardly ever refilled. Rowers are likely to lose 10 kg of body mass until they arrive in Antigua in the Caribbean. In the past, teams have spent 30 to 80 days at sea. And all this on a rowing boat as big as your dining table!
Two support yachts accompany the fleet but only interfere in emergencies. The row is unassisted and each boat is 100% self-sufficient. Solar panels on top of the sleeping cabin power a water maker that makes sea water drinkable. A camping stove warms up the freeze-dried food. Scheduled satphone calls with the safety team and their individual weather men ensure that all weather forecasts are taken into account for a safe crossing.
Why Not Today? Why Not Me?
I have dreamed about this race for almost 5 years until an old school friend hit me up on Instagram asking me if I was still up for the challenge.
Two years prior to signing up for the TWAC, I met Janik in Bali. He was travelling the world on a sabbatical. We were on the same wavelength about personal development and doing things outside of the norm. We started talking about vision boards and I explained to him my fantasies about ocean rowing.
At this point, I expected a “You’re insane!” or something along those lines. Friends and family would usually give me puzzled looks whenever I told them about ocean rowing. To my surprise, Janik didn’t flinch. He thought it would be a story that you would tell until the rest of your life, although he thought that sailing across the Atlantic might do that just as well. His girlfriend, overhearing both our sentences, immediately contravened.
Fast forward two years and team NOT TODAY was born. We have signed up for the TWAC 2023 with the goal to raise 150.000 EUR for education projects for children.
What Happened So Far
You don’t have to be that motivated, because you’re just in it. And you have to do it because there’s literally no way off. So, you might as well row.
Johnny Ward, OneStep4Ward
Our campaign has started. Janik and I have worked out our goals and started taking action. We have a logo, we have found charities that we want to support and we are talking to boat owners.
Meanwhile, we are working on our team website and are in contact with prospective sponsors.
Pretty exciting stuff!
Why Not Today
I am no athlete, nor am I a seafarer. I am willing to try and do whatever is necessary to get myself in a position where failing is no longer a life-threatening risk.
Why not today take action on one of your dreams. I’m talking about taking a step, not a leap. It’s the little steps that make a difference.
And if you think your dream sounds ridiculous, remember there are people that voluntarily row across oceans. One oar stroke at a time.
D
