PADDY MONTGOMERY and SEAMUS CRAWFORD continue their preparation for the Talisker Atlantic Whiskey Challenge, that’s after their Ride Across Europe cycle, and the MdS. The trio are part of their Saddle Sand & Sea challenge.
Another month or so has passed and everything continues at a frantic pace. Days are flying by and we are continually being tested, but we keep persevering. As I have said before, with the majority of these larger challenges, getting to the start line is half the battle, if not more. A number of people we’ve spoken to about rowing the Atlantic, have highlighted this, and explained that part of the enjoyment of the row is the simplicity of it all. All you need to focus on is rowing and making sure you look after your body.
The past month or so has been tough with a few blips here and there, but overall it feels we are heading in the right direction. We completed the well-trodden pilgrimage to see the water maker guru, Jim at Mactra Marine down in Weston-Super-Mare. We spent a seriously helpful few hours there, learning about all the equipment we have on board and the potential issues that might pop up. At first all the kit looks rather technical and complicated, but it’s reassuring to learn more about it and to see that overall it is relatively simple. The water maker is the most critical piece of equipment on board, so ensuring we fully understand it and know how to fix it is key.
Following our session with Jim, we headed all the way back to Burnham-On-Crouch to spend more time on the boat. The aim was to go out for a couple of nights, to continue to get comfortable with everything, and also start really nailing the various routines and procedures we need to master whilst out in the Atlantic. As we set off we noticed that the winds were somewhat high, but having looked at the forecast these were due to reduce a little, so we decided to get on with it. The first few hours on the water felt great, we were churning through the miles with some assistance from the wind and tides and we both felt strong.
This story is from the October - November 2017 edition of Outdoor Fitness.
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This story is from the October - November 2017 edition of Outdoor Fitness.
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