Preparing to Row the Atlantic

The first week of April, I plan to row across the Atlantic as part of a 6-person team to set a new World Record from mainland Europe to mainland South America. For the past 5 months, I’ve been preparing for this expedition. Now just days away from leaving in the rowing boat from Portugal, the anticipation and sense of adventure is starting to build.

The last few months I’ve surrounded myself with a small team consisting of Rosa my girlfriend, Ross Young (Core Health and Fitness) and members of Graignamanagh Rowing Club who have helped me prepare for this adventure.

Expedition Detail:

Below is a breakdown of the details regarding my ocean row attempt as well as what it took to get myself in a position to take part.

Who:

The 6-person team is made up of rowers from Sweden (x 2), Norway, Russia, The Netherlands and myself from Ireland. The skipper is Ralph Tuijin, who is an advanced nurse and the owner of the ocean rowing boat named Rose. Ralph has crossed the Atlantic more than 5 times and is searching for his own personal world record as the man to have rowed across the Atlantic more than anybody else.

What:

The objective for the team is to set at least 2 world records – The first is to set a new world record for the first ever six-person ocean rowing team to cross the Atlantic from mainland Europe to mainland South America. The second is to set the fastest time to row from main land Europe to main land South America. To be eligible for a world record we must have a live tracker on board, that will trace our journey across the Atlantic allowing our families to keep an eye on us and when we complete the journey it will allow us to make a submission for the world record.The record will be set on an ocean rowing boat.

An ocean rowing boat is not like your typical rowing boat as it must be capable of withstanding waves and the elements of the sea. Due to the long nature of the expedition (Approx 45 days) the boat must be able to provide everything the crew may need during the expedition such as:

• Produce energy to charge communication devices and make drinkable water for the crew this is done by harnessing the sun through solar panels located on the top of the boat.

• Sleeping areas for the crew to rest while not rowing.

• Should the boat capsize the boat can self-right itself. The two cabins at either end of the boat contain air that allows the boat to rotate upward to ensure the deck is always above water.

Where:

Many records exist for crossing the Atlantic. Most exist by crossing from the Canary Islands to an Island in the Caribbean, the most common being Antigua. However, few records exist between mainland Europe and main land South America. This adds on what we estimate will be another 10 days at sea. We aim to set off from Portugal and follow the trade winds across the Atlantic until we reach the port of Cayenne in French Guiana, South America.

When:

The team aim to set off the first week of April. This is determined by the wind and weather. Rowing away from the coast can be quite difficult so if there is any advantage to be gained by waiting for a more favorable weather window it will be worth waiting. This all counts when your aim is to break a world record. We aim to be at sea for 45 days but hopefully the team will pull together, and the elements will be in our favor allowing us to complete the journey a lot sooner and arriving in Cayenne, French Guiana in Mid-May.

Why:

In relation to Why someone would want to row across the Atlantic I can only answer for myself as I’m sure each person has their own reasons for wanting to take part in such an adventure.

The idea to row the Atlantic came about because of a series of different ideas, influences and experiences coming together over time.

• The first point came about when I was not long home from China and just after taking part in the Wicklow Way Ultra Marathon in June of 2018. I got a call to join a team of cyclists in Carlow to break the World Record for the longest Spinning Class. Some of the training sessions we done in preparation for the spinning class took 18 hours of cycling indoors on a stationary bike. I loved being part of a team determined with one goal and really enjoyed the training. Unfortunately, just as things were coming together the World Record attempt was cancelled a month ahead of the scheduled day. This frustrated me a lot as a World Record is not something you get a chance to be part of very often but as I look back on the experience now I can say that the training and seeing the organisation needed made me realise that a world record is not something beyond my potential if I work towards it.

• In work, my colleague Alwyn shared a podcast where James McAvoy a convicted armed robber was sentenced to life imprisonment. While in prison he turned his life around by setting multiple world records on an indoor rowing machine and is now a Nike sponsored Ironman. This encouraged me to sit down on a rowing machine and give it a go. During the winter months, I fell in love with the indoor rowing machine in my gym and found myself content rowing for hours.

• Following a few trips sea kayaking in Cork and Bunmahon, Wexford it became clear that I really enjoyed being out on the water and started to realise that this is something I could apply my endurance ability towards in terms of a bigger trip.

• At the same time the media was highlighting the achievements of Irish Ocean Rower Gavin Hennigan who rowed across the Atlantic to set a new Irish Solo Atlantic Row Record. Through Gavin’s blog I discovered we had very similar backgrounds in shifting from Ultra Running to Ocean Rowing.

All of the above accumulated, which then led me to join every ocean rowing society and related social media group known, I started studying previous ocean rowers and reading numerous articles while continuing to increase the training time I was spending on the indoor rowing machine.

The conversations where now starting to pop up with Rosa about ocean rowing. When I slept, I would dream about being out on the ocean in a boat rowing. It was time to admit it, I was now consumed by the idea of rowing an ocean.

Things got real when one night before Christmas while out on one of my crazier nights in Kilkenny with friends, I said to Neal, Megan and Rosa in a drunken declaration that I was going to row across the Atlantic. That was the first time I’d really said it to anyone and it felt good to say it out loud with meaning. The next morning despite the terrible state we were in we all reflected on the events of the night before, but no one mentioned rowing the Atlantic. That was something I hadn’t forgot and it was now something I knew I had to pursue.

It would be several weeks later while down in the town of Graignamangh, Kilkenny taking part in a mountain navigation course with Rosa that an opportunity would arise to make this new dream a reality.

On Facebook that morning I came across a post looking for a crew member to join a team. I quickly responded. The message I sent stated some basic details about myself and highlighted my endurance background but made sure to outline that I had no previous experience rowing or being out on the ocean. Hours later while out on Mount Leinster implementing some of the lessons we had learned as part of the mountain navigation course my phone vibrated. The message was from Ralph the man who had posted notice. Ralph said that he would be delighted to have me join his crew. Much sooner than I had ever planned I had now gotten myself a place on board a rowing boat to cross the Atlantic.

Preparing myself to go row:

Making the decision to row across the Atlantic now presented several other challenges that needed to be considered, somethings I could plan for and others I just have to have faith that things will work out. Some of the standout points where:

• Family: Unfortunately, some members of my family have long term health issues. The thought of being isolated on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic knowing that something may go wrong with a family member terrifies me. Now I would be the first to admit that should their health take a dramatic turn for the worse, I would be less than useless in that situation. However, with that said there is a comfort that comes in being close to them when times get tough. Thankfully, at this moment in time, everyone is as healthy as can be expected but should something unfortunate occur during the expedition I will have to be prepared to be away with little hope of making it back to them. The incentive to go row like a lunatic and not spend any longer at sea then I have too is very real.

• Relationship: Rosa is amazingly supportive in how I choose to live my life in terms of the adventures I chase, the races I choose, and the hours I spend training. This adventure was going to require more time and money than anything else I had undertaken during our time together. Things like - Holidays, moving in together properly, time together at the weekends, saving for the future and reducing our cost of living would all need to be reviewed because of me going to row an ocean. This wasn’t easy and at times I felt like the most selfish man on earth. Rosa hated the idea of this adventure at first but thankfully with time she came around. Frustration would build every time I made us get up out of bed early on a Sunday to drive to Graignamanagh to train, or would go into the gym in Durrow to row on my way back to Naas leaving her with nothing to do for hours. With time Rosa started to come around to the idea and started to get involved in some of the training. Rosa is a huge support, takes part in some of the training and has now linked up with the family members of rest of the team. Rosa aim's to meet me at the finish in French Guiana.

• Expense: Rowing oceans is expensive. How in the name of jaysus was I going to afford it? At the time my finances where in a poor state as I had just bought Magellan, my new pride and joy, camper van. The decision was made to sell my car, this took away all my debt. Then savings, getting tax back and living like a monk on a fraction of my salary allowed me to pay my way on to the boat. Socializing for the most part was simply just cut out. Thankfully I lead a simple life without major expenses such as rent or mortgage so on review of my remaining two major expenses Food and Diesel I had to find ways to reduce them. The food was easy to address in terms of reducing meals out and making meals to go. The fuel required a bit more thought. Working in Dublin, I decided to stay 2 nights a week at Rosa’s house in Naas as anymore than 2 would be pushing it in a house I wasn't an actual tenant, 2 nights a week in the camper van during some of the coldest nights in January and February. Those nights I would park close to the gym, so I could train in the mornings before work and then usually typically mid-week I would spend 1 night in my family home in Kilkenny and commute. The weekends then could be spent in any of the three locations. In doing this I was able to cut my fuel bill in half. Thankfully I didn’t have to take a loan out to support this adventure and all these measures were for a little less than 5 months. In the end there was nothing too extreme that I had to do.

• Work: Having started a new job in July 2018 I felt bad in January when it came to ask my new employer to support me in giving me the time off work to go set a new world record. The idea didn’t float to well with management, as I was effectively asking for 4 years of holidays in one go. As I hadn’t built up any years of service to leverage my argument and I was still determined to do the row the decision was made between the company and myself to part ways. It was when I handed in my notice I first thought that I may be truly mad but training that afternoon I was happy with the thought that I was chasing something I really believed in – An epic Adventure. This however meant that I had to step up my saving’s to support me when I come back to bridge the gap until I will find a new job as my financial future was no longer clear. Fingers crossed it will all work out.

• Training: How do you train to row an ocean? Look at the task and work back. During the row the team will work in shifts of two where 3 people will row for 2 hours and then rotate. This schedule will continue until we reach land. So, the most sleep you are likely to get at any one time is 2 hours. My training needed to reflect performing in adverse conditions under extreme tiredness. Hours were spent on the rowing machine before work, during lunch breaks and after work getting used to spending multiple hours in the same position. Any opportunity to exercise was taken be it a walk, run or a gym workout. An emphasis was placed on training while tired and not giving up. During the early periods I loved it as I was still doing a lot of running. The cross training between the two was very enjoyable and as I ran the Sli 71km Ultra Marathon in Feburary I felt more fit and strong than ever before.

Rowing can be quite a technical sport. Rowing on the machine was now easy but this would count for little if my technique was poor. Rosa and myself went for lessons down in Graignamanagh with the rowing club. It was great to be out of the gym, we both loved it and will continue rowing once this adventure is complete.

Ross Young of Core Health and Fitness was also important in keeping me fit and injury free as my training increased. Ross would also allow me in to his gym at the most awkward of times to allow me row. The final part of preparations involved me putting on a few extra kilograms as ocean rowers have been known to lose lots of weight while taking part in such expeditions. This proved tougher than I had first taught as Ultra Running and the new intense training load had now increased metabolism.

During the last 5 months I had multiple opportunities to quit - Withdrawing my savings, getting rid of the car, handing in my notice at work, Training for hours each day on a rowing machine, booking flights and staying in most weekends where just some of the instances where I could have just said this is too hard and packed the whole thing in. Thankfully all of the above have been resolved and everything is in the best possible shape I could have expected before departing.

Last words before Departure:

Setting off form Portugal I am aware that I have achieved nothing yet. At this point I am just delighted that I have put myself in the position to be part of such an amazing adventure. I hope that all the training and sacrifices made will amount to an epic adventure.

Whatever happens next, I can always say that I did what I could to put myself in the best possible position to go achieve something incredible: Row the Atlantic Ocean and maybe just maybe grow a respectable wild adventure man beard.

To follow my adventures you can keep an eye on my social media:

• Instagram: @morrissey.j

• Facebook: James Morrissey

• Boat Trackers:

• Find me link

• Oceanrower.eu