IRISH DUO COMPLETE ATLANTIC OCEAN ROW

Peter Williams and Mike Jones, both from Cork, reached Port St. Charles, Barbados late last night having completed a 3,500 mile row across the Atlantic Ocean. The duo, as part of an international crew of 6, set out from Agadir, Morocco on 12th January.The row took 57 days, 20 hours. The voyage, which started from the Port de Plaisance Marina in Agadir was an an attempt to row the Atlantic from East to West on the traditional trade wind route. The voyage was the first to use Agadir as a start port for an ocean row and was only the second ever ocean rowing voyage to start from a Moroccan port.

The international crew consisted of 5 men and 1 women and was skippered by Matt Craughwell (UK) and also included Mylène Paquette (Canada), Pedro Cunha (Sweden) and James Kenworthy (England). The crew’s boat ‘Sara G’ was a specially designed ocean rowing boat that has already been rowed from New Zealand to Australia in 2007. The boat has three rowing positions on the deck thus catering for a crew of 6 - 3 rowing while 3 rest. The shift pattern was set at a grueling 2 hours on/2 hours off regime meaning each crew member rowed for 12 hours a day. The boat contained a complete inventory of modern safety, communication and navigation equipment. Peter Williams describes the boat as “a fast, slick ocean rowing boat with all the equipment of a modern yacht. The only difference between our boat and a yacht is that we didn't have a sail or engine to help us along – just our strength and determination to reach Barbados”.

The Irish duo became the 7th and 8th Irishmen to achieve the feat and they are the first from Cork to row across any ocean. It is not the first time Peter has attempted to row across the Atlantic Ocean as he was part of a 14-strong British-Irish crew that had to be rescued 1,000 miles off the Canaries last January, after their boat lost a rudder during an attempt to break the world record for the fastest Atlantic rowing crossing. Peter and a crew mate from the failed attempt, skipper Matt Craughwell from England, were determined not to give up on the challenge. They advertised to form a new crew that would bring a combination of skills to the challenge — including seamanship and navigation ability as well as physical and technical competence. Cork man Mike Jones applied for the crew even though he had never rowed before. He works as operations manager for the University of Limerick Activity Centre and is an experienced sailor and member of the Irish Coast Guard. Peter said he was selected on the basis of his skill and determination to complete the crossing. “I'd had the idea in mind for a few years before I applied for this challenge but I figured I'd have a year or two to learn how to row,”explained Mike. 

Upon arrival, Peter summed up his feelings "I have been working towards this goal for 2 years now and having failed this time last year, I am over the moon at our successful crossing this time out". Mike Jones added " I am so delighted to have made it! There were lots of highs and lows but it is a journey I will never forget."

For more info:

www.worldoceanrowing.com