2 minute read
Atlantic rowers dig deep to finish
For almost 60 days, they rowed and rowed, and rowed. 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from Gran Canaria to Port St Charles in Barbados. Four men in a tiny rowing boat, Cockleshell Endeavour, facing the raw power of the sea and winter storms, and even running out of food.
Two of the quartet are James Bevan from Atherington and Dom Thorne from High Bickington, they were too exhausted and hungry to talk about their epic experience on landing on February 20th. Their first words off the boat were, “We’re never doing this again!”
Advertisement
Their support team said they were immensely proud. “The boys have endured the hardest of conditions over the last couple of months. The grit and determination they have shown has been remarkable. It has all been worth it to support mental health and give it the visibility it deserves,” said Hannah Gascoigne, their social media manager and Dom’s girlfriend.
Dom used to play rugby for South Molton and now coaches the women’s premiership team for the Exeter Chiefs. James is a former Deputy Head Boy at Chulmleigh College and now works as a sports scientist in the academy at Exeter City Football Club.
They took turns on the oars, each pair rowing for two hours, while they other two tried to snatch some sleep - 24 hours a day. The lads nicknamed their boat ‘Stanno’ after the Exeter City football player Adam Stansfield who died aged 31 from a rare form of cancer.
They ran out of food with a week to go, surviving on emergency rations. Among the highlights, James Bevan celebrated his 25th birthday half way across the ocean.
They embarked on the sea voyage to raise awareness and funds for mental health charities - so far raising £12,000 of their £40,000 target. If you’d like to support them you can donate here: gofundme.com/f/atlantic-row-wr-attemptfor-mental-health-services
On dry land - James Bevan far left and Dom Thorn next to him, with their teammates
59 days, 13 hours and 47 minutes to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean Arriving in Barbados in the dark on Cockleshell Endeavour
We’ll have interviews with James and Dom in next month’s Molton Monthly
