You’re rowing ... to where?
You’re rowing ... to where?
Jaws drop around CSE office as colleague announces plan to row across the Atlantic
30 July 2010
Most of us at CSE knew that our colleague from the energy advice team, James Watt, had the spirit of the sea about him. “Probably does a bit of yachting from time to time” we thought.
But when he announced that he and friend Olly Whitman were preparing to row from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean island of Antigua, a stunned silence descended on the office.
In fact, James has been rowing from a young age – he grew up in the Isles of Scilly – and is well equipped for the ultimate rowing challenge. This is just as well as the journey is 2,500 nautical miles (depending on your course) can take between 50 and 80 days, and requires 1 million oar strokes.
And if that’s not enough, James and Olly will push themselves to their physical and mental limits by rowing for two hours on and two hours off, 24 hours a day. “This is why so few people have successfully rowed across an ocean” says James, with a sense of understatement that will no doubt serve him well when he's hundreds of miles from the nearest land.
The pair plan to join the Woodvale Atlantic Challenge in November next year, and hope to raise thousands of pounds for charity. You can read more about their adventure – and opportunities for sponsorship – on their aptly named website www.alongwaytorow.com.
James and Olly were at Bristol’s bustling Harbour Festival (30 July – 1 August) with the boat they intend to buy for the voyage. “You can’t rent them, for some reason” joked Olly. The boat is something of a veteran, having made the voyage twice already.
CSE’s advice team was also at the festival, busy offering energy saving advice to the crowds in the new section of the festival that showcases local sustainability initiatives such as Bristol Green Doors, Cycling City, wildlife gardening and local food.