Page 28 - Ti GuideAntigua ITALIAN - ENGLISH 2020

Team:
Rowing to raise money for the St
ds, all three suicides. His goal in the 2018 crossing was the ght against depression. In his epic journey that took 70 days 19 hours and 22 minutes, he entered into a perfect connection
with nature. On the open sea, shing for food with dolphins and turtles as company, and under full moons and stars, he met his “free spirit”, so much so that on arrival he claimed to have wanted to continue for another 70 days 19 hours and 22 minutes! Now he tells schools about his amazing
experience.
And last but not least, the story
of animal lover Daryl Farmer, solo on Rowers Ark, rowing for Wildlife conservation in 2016. After capsizing two days out of La Gomera and breaking his rudder half way to Antigua so that he had to use his oars only to steer the boat (which would make the task much more dif cult), he decided to keep going and still made it! It was certainly not the journey he anticipated, but he marvelled at the incredible experience: he told Ted that 500 miles off La Gomera, a butter y came out of nowhere and settled on his oar and later a Storm Petrel – a seabird not much bigger than a sparrow – would y round the boat twice every day from start to nish! At every low point, something won- derful would happen to raise his spirits: when the boat capsized, dolphins appeared and swum reassuringly round him; when his rudder broke, he saw a pod of whales as to witness his great connection with wildlife (and their support!?)! His epic and inspira- tional voyage lasted 96-days!
“Tansatlantic Traffords”
Christopher’s Hospice which helps people live their lives to the full,
supporting them and their families through terminal illness.
people suffering from physical and mental trauma. She wanted to show how a life-changing experience does not have to be life-ending. Two days out at sea she realised she really did not like the solitude, which of course lasted the whole 76 days of her journey. Five miles from the nish, she found herself in danger of missing Antigua completely: she had to row into the wind, a dif cult task which angered her so much it gave her the inner strength to complete the race, her tears of frustration becoming tears of relief as she crossed the nishing line. Whereas she does not regret taking part in this race, she is in no hurry to go back to sea...climbing mountains is more her scene!
Also in the 2018 challenge was a British family - a father and his two sons - Team Tansatlantic Traffords. This threesome was rowing to rai- se money for a cause close to their hearts: St Christopher’s Hospice, which helps people live their lives to the full, supporting them and their families through terminal illness. They found the physical training arduous but the biggest hurdle was the mental challenge. But it was this that turned out to be their transformational experience: they left La Gomera looking stressed and uncertain but on arrival in Antigua they told Ted that the journey had given them the most wonderful oppor- tunity to get to know each other better – to open their very souls to each other, creating the most extraordinary bond between them which they will treasure for the rest of their lives. Ted witnessed both their start and nish and saw the transformation in their eyes...
Ted also told me about the New Zealander Isaac Giesen, known as “thebluerower”, who soloed in memory of an aunt and two close frien-
ETRAORDINARY 26 EXPERIENCES AT SEA
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