La Gomera and Antigua are separated by nearly 3,000 miles. The gap is filled by the Atlantic Ocean. That's a lot of water.
The route I will be rowing, from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the West Indies, has great historical significance.
On 6 September 1492, Christopher Columbus set off from La Gomera for his voyage to the West Indies. Having said that, it's been suggested that the only reason he went from La Gomera was to visit a woman he rather liked, and even until his death, he thought that he'd reached Asia, rather than America. Nevertheless, it's nice to go one better than him - he cheated; he had sails.
The route I'll be rowing is not, unfortunately, filled with lovely calm water with pretty fishes and mermaids (although, I've never really trusted them - it's just not natural). On the way, I'll have to deal with whales that might decide my boat makes a good football, sharks that might decide I'd make a nice lunch, and 30-foot waves, who will have bigger issues to worry about than me. Additionally, I'll have to look out for bigger boats (much, much bigger boats), just in case they don't spot me or decide to run me over. You never know, they might even offer me a cup of tea. Despite my light-hearted description of the ocean, it's a very dangerous place to be. When the nearest help is days away, taking liberties can result in catastrophic, potentially fatal, consequences. I'd rather avoid that end for now!
All in all, I reckon it's going to take me, approximately, a very long time. The record is about 42 days for a solo crossing which, I have to say, is ludicrously quick. More commonly, crossings take 60-90 days. It goes without saying that I'm hoping to do it in under a month. There's nothing like setting your targets high.
I'm aiming to raise £20,000 for FARM-Africa. To help me reach this target, and to find out how to get involved, please 
