Team apple pie of oceanrower.eu is rowing from mainland Europe to mainland South-America with the aim to break many world records:
- Fastest crossing from Europe to South America,
- Fastest 5-persons team from Europe to South America,
- First blind rower from Europe to South America (Shane Ryan)
- First 2 ocean rowing crossings within half a year (Ralph Tuijn)
- Oldest person to row from Europe to South America (Predragh Tripkovic)
- First person to row 5 times from mainland Europe to mainland South America)
After 7 days and 19 hours we rowed into Lanzarote marina for minor repairs and off course a good meal ! 16 hours later we were on the water again to hunt for all of the world records. Because we were pretty quick in Lanzarote with the short break we are still on track.
We wanted to follow the route between Africa and the Canarias islands but the wind blew us to much to the island of Fuerte Ventura so that we had to make at the last moment the decision to go between the islands of Fuerte Ventura and Lanzarote and then southwards.
We aimed for the light house at the southwest point of the island but at the last moment we had to go way around cause way out on the ocean there where huge breaking waves on the shallows. Luckily we saw this just before dawn.
The wind stays nicely in the back and will increase to 20-22 knots so that we make good progress to the south. Just before the end of day 10 we reach the 1/5th mark of the ocean crossing at 9 days and 23 hour what brings our ETA at 49 days and 19 hours. Compared to the part before the Canarias we see now daily groups of dolphins round us and almost daily groups of whales.
The rowing of Shane (our blind Irish rower) is improving. He copes better now with the waves and the rhythm of the strokes. Since the start in Portimao, Livar, Predragh and Darragh row together in one shift while Shane and I row together in the other. We leave the middle spot open so that in times that Shane is out of rhythm there is no way that we will hit each other.
On the morning of day thirteen on the ocean, our Iridium Go stopped working and that is essential for our communication and tracking. Luckily I took a spare device, but it is the last one !!! If that one fails there is no form of communication anymore till French-Guyana but there is nothing to worry about. We will just row on according to plan. If something goes wrong we have an EPIRB (emergency beacon) on board to send out a distress. So now you know !
So Corona virus is finding its way through Europe and the EU closed its borders for at least a month. Well if that goes on, we may not able to fly back to Europe after this crossing. So we’re making new plans up here : if we got stuck, I’ll buy a tandem bicycle so Shane can sit in the back and we are going to explore South-America ! 😂
And to finish the update here’s just a weird fact : we row to Cayenne in South-America at N04 / W052. If you change that coordinates around, you end up in Castricum where I live : N52 / E004.
To follow our world record crossing, go to Oceanrower.eu @ follow next expedition.