Crew Capsize on way to Barbados

Brave Scottish adventurer Mark Beaumont and his intrepid crew have sadly failed in their attempt to break the record for rowing between Morocco and Barbados, they were hoping to achieve their mammoth task in less than the current record of thirty days, unfortunately day twenty seven saw the boat overturn in heavy seas, making their dream of reaching St Charles Port on the island of Barbados impossible.

So Near and Yet So Far Away

The crew were rescued approximately 500 miles from the island where the promise of Bajan hospitality and welcoming Barbados apartments were waiting.  Instead they were air lifted from the Atlantic and are expected to be taken to Gibraltar.  Their 36 foot long boat had its share of difficulties on the 3000 mile journey.  The elements seem to have conspired against them offering poor swell and little wind to aid their journey. 

Thick cloud cover limited the amount of light required to recharge the 12V solar powered batteries, in the end all power to the boat had to be switched off.  With no power available the crew were unable to use the electronic navigational aids or power the water desalinator.  With drinking water rationed the food supply also needed to be rationed as much of their supplies required rehydration.  The loss in their calorie intake became apparent quite quickly as they no longer had all of the required energy to maintain the 2400 rowing strokes needed every two hours to keep to their desired pace.

Slipping Away

The combination of the decrease in calories and the lack of support from the elements meant that the team were losing between 10-15 knots a day, each hour seeing the record slip further from their grasp.  Despite their superhuman efforts they still kept losing speed and time, with very little time for rest or sleep the crew became desperate to find ways of making the boat move faster through the Atlantic waters, prompting crew members to jump overboard in an attempt to scrape barnacles off that had accumulated on the boats hull.  Sadly, the later capsize ended the dream for good.  With the promise of Barbados apartments still awaiting them, maybe the crew will try again in the near future.

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