A seven-metre boat packed with provisions has arrived in the Canaries where, early next year, it will undertake one of the most gruelling sea adventures known to man.
The boat has been followed by Fishguard’s Adrian Tyrell, one half of the Atlantic Dragons, who will set off to row the Atlantic early next year.
Adrian, 60, has been training hard at home, taking the boat, named Joshua, out around the Pembrokeshire coast and spending hours on the rowing machine at home, replicating the five rowing sessions a day that he will undertake on the Atlantic.
However, ask him what he is most worried about, and it is not Atlantic storms and swells or endless shifts at the oars, rather it is the welfare of the Ukranian family that he is sponsoring in Fishguard and making sure that they have an adequate support network in his absence.
Adrian and Dan are setting off on the first ever Atlantic Dash, rowing 3,200 miles from Lanzarote to Jolly Harbour in Antigua and raising funds for the RNLI on the way.
READ MORE
The pair will set off on January 3 next year and hope to complete the crossing in around 45 days.
Before that though they need to be reunited with Joshua and repack provisions: “There’s no room for me and Dan at the moment,” said Adrian. “We’ve packed too much food I think.”
The boat will also be checked by the organisers, Monkey Fist Adventures, to make sure it meets safety standards, Adrian and Dan will get her in the water and start doing training rows and attend medical briefings, where they will learn, among other things, how to hook each other up to a drip!
As well as training for the row, retired RAF squadron leader Adrian took part in the Petra marathon in Jordan in September.
“Running and rowing were not compatible for me training-wise,” he said. “Since the marathon though I have been able to focus on rowing.
“Physically I feel good,” he said. “I have just finished the last hard training week. There are four weeks until we leave so I need to keep on top of it until Christmas.”
He says though that the rowing is ‘almost secondary’ to keeping yourself mentally okay, clean and well fed, as well as dealing with the dreaded seasickness that has scuppered some Atlantic attempts.
He says that he is feeling positive and has only had a couple of wobbles.
“I was sitting in the car park looking at the boat, which isn’t very big and I thought ‘what have I done’,” he said. “That was one of the only moments.
“When you are on the boat in the sea, you don’t have time to think about it.”
To sponsor Adrian and Dan’s Atlantic dash in aid of the RNLI, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/atlanticdragons.
To keep track of the Atlantic Dragons’ progress once they have set off, visit atlanticdragons.cymru.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here