We are not all mad only some of us ....

Just before Christmas my lovely wife Vi,( I have to say that otherwise I won’t get any dinner tonight ) and myself decided that we both needed a break. Vi booked a few days over Christmas on the island of Grand Caneria, on the condition that I would not take any work with me. When the time come to pack the bags I put some paper work at the bottom of Vi’s case and covered it over, there was always a chance that she would check my bag to make sure I was complying with her instruction but not likely that she would check her bag. I couldn’t see myself sitting there day after day doing nothing. Anyway we got there and settled in at a place called Mogan, the next day, and being a boating man we found ourselves walking around the little harbour, I have to say what a pretty pleasant place Mogan is.

With my interest in boats, harbours always attract me. This particular morning we noticed that a Land Rover Discovery had turned up towing a huge trailer with two ocean going rowing boats. Titon the six man crew 35ft long boat was on the bottom, and Pacific Pete the 7 Metre single man boat was on a frame above.

A day or two later I had an opportunity to speak to both skippers.

Titon skippered by Simon Chalk and his crew are out to try and break the record standing at 32 days from the Canaries to Barbados. His crew were young guys and all muscle, they were due to set off around the 12^th Jan. Simons partner Gemma will be in touch throughout the passage.

Pacific Pet is crewed by Geoff Allum, Geoff is a veteran rower and completed many crossings of one sort or another. At 68 Geoff said to me that he wanted to give it one more shot and expects to take around 75 days and leaving at the same time. There is no electronics on the boat, the only appliance is a small water maker. I think it will be very challenging for him and a worrying time for his wife Jane. GOOD LUCK TO THEM BOTH on their 2,550 nautical mile journey. Les.