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“Although I stay true to my word and admit that, I think in part, we failed, in that we were outside our original target, sitting here now back in England having crossed an ocean in a rowing boat, I feel we have achieved something more than we set out to.
”We overcame countless breakages of our water-makers, the violent breaking off of the rudder, twice, and some severe adverse conditions.
“We closely encountered ships and yachts, and were visited by whales, dolphins and sharks.
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“We rode out electrical storms and squalls, and 40 ft waves.
“We saw the full cycle of the moon, the rotation of the planisphere, moon rises, moon sets, incredible shooting stars, rainbows and ‘moon-bows’, glorious sunrises and beautiful sunsets.
“We endured the last 300 miles on just a few chocolate bars and a couple of liters of hand pumped water, and still made the second fastest crossing of the Atlantic ever in a conventional rowing boat and the fastest crossing ever from Canaries to Antigua!”
If you, your company, your school or organisation would like to hear Ben’s account of the Atlantic rowing record attempt, please contact Catherine Hall at enquiries@benthackwray.com
Synopsis:
In 2007 Ben was asked to join Simon Chalk in a specially selected all British team in an attempt to break the longest standing and most sought after record in Ocean Rowing.
The record at the time for rowing across the Atlantic was set way back in 1992 by a 12 man French team called La Mondialle, who crossed the Atlantic from Canaries to Barbados in 35 days 8 hours and 30 minutes.
After an initial attempt that had to be aborted due to the injury of a six member of the team, the ‘Oyster Shack’ crew of Ben, Simon, Ian Couch, George Oliver and Michael Martin, set off again, one man down but undeterred from La Gomera just two days before Christmas.
After 37 days they successfully made port in Antigua, narrowly missing out on the original target of the open class Atlantic rowing record but having rowed across the Atlantic unsupported, setting other records in the process and having overcome almost constant adversity.
- They rowed the fastest 1000 miles out of the Canaries ever in any class of rowing boat.
- They were the first, and will probably be the only 5 five man crew ever to row across the Atlantic.
- They made the 5th fastest crossing of the Atlantic ever (in any class of rowing boat, by any route) - 5th out of just over 200.
- They made the 2nd fastest crossing of the Atlantic ever in a conventional rowing boat (by any route).
- They made the fastest ever crossing from Canaries to Antigua. (In any class of rowing boat and done by the Great Circle route i.e. with no real currents or trade winds).
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