Day 36: I must confess…

I am not a rower.

Yes, it’s true. I’m on a boat with 3 men whose combined years of rowing experience is more than the years of my life. I’ve never followed rowing, and if you had asked me a year ago about the Canadian Men’s 8+ in Beijing (i.e.- the race Adam won a Gold Medal in), you would have received a blank stare or a “what about them?”

Is it so bizarre and abnormal that an inexperienced rower attempt to row across an ocean?

Perhaps it’s bizarre, but in the history of ocean rowing it is not abnormal and has occurred many times. This is due to the nature of the sport. It is less about precision technique and more about feeling and persistence. Although there are races and competitions, the winners are more likely to be in that position due to a good forecasting team or simply being in the right place at the right time when the Ocean decides to move in their favor.

That said, it would be wrong to say that there is no technique or skill involved in being a successful ocean rower. In its basic form, ocean rowing is simply pulling the oars through the blue which seems simple enough, but then you add 3 meter waves from the north and 1 m waves from the East with a small wind chop from the Northeast, and you have your hands full. On top of that you are hopefully keeping in sync with your rowing partner who may be half asleep or day dreaming about a warm shower and cold ice cream on land. Add in the 30 knot winds, torrential rains, blazing sun, stinging bum, and calluses and it makes for a reasonably complicated affair.

It has now been about 10 months since I took my first strokes in a rowboat, shortly after meeting Jordan and Adam and being invited to join OAR Northwest on the Vancouver Island journey. I now know a bit about the catch, drive, finish, and recovery but will likely never be a rower. I’m quite happy and at peace being an Ocean rower, just please don’t spread the word as I don’t want people thinking I’m a crazy #$%@!.

With gratitude,
Markus