Page 96 - RAPTC Year of 2019

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days in La Gomera passing inspections, checking over the boat and, of course, having a few beers on an evening!
On the briefings prior to the race start we had been warned that there would be 30 – 40 knot winds and some rather large waves on the very first night, this didn’t really concern us but then ignorance is bliss as they say! The start was amazing, crowds cheering, flags flying and horns blowing, as we moved further away from the island silence fell and reality began to hit home. As night fell and we moved away from the shelter of the island the ocean came alive, it had clearly noticed that we were trying to cross it and wasn’t happy! Huge crashing waves sprang out of nowhere, walls of black water the size of houses silhouetted by the moon lit sky became our new home. Sitting on top of these and looking down in to the abyss at the bottom of the next developing wave it was already easy to see why this is billed as the world’s toughest row. Another 40 days of this! Good God!!
The first week continued in this way but we quickly adapted to the environment, sea sickness was now taking its toll as well as the relentless two hours on two hours off routine. The first 9 days were incredibly tough, simply getting used to eating the freeze-dried
Finish Photo Flares Up
rations was an adaption that our bodies weren’t all too happy with, this combined with the ongoing sea sickness made for a testing time. No sooner had you finished rowing, eaten, cleaned yourself and slept you were back on deck and rowing once again.
As the days turned in to weeks the routine became easier, sore hands, bums and blistered feet were all part of the journey and accepted as such. Hallucinations were common one very early morning, in total darkness, I saw a jogger run past the boat, it came as no real surprise other than thinking it was a bit early for a jog! Morale remained high with banter flowing in typical military thoughtfulness of each other predicament. Wildlife became plentiful with ‘shark watch’ being a regular boat feature like a well-seasoned TV show, dolphins would visit now and again until I accidentally hit one on the head with an oar! Suicidal flying fish would regularly launch kamikaze style attacks on the boat and crew with deadly precision and we were followed by a few inquisitive birds.
The weather continued to surprise us with amazing sun rises and sets, freak storms with rain downpours so intense they would flatten the waves and swamp the boat in an instant. The waves
Capt Chris Hames on the oars again!
Capt Hames Week 6 Christmas Dinner