(Covering the last 24 hours) We passed the halfway mark at 3pm yesterday — a moment that definitely deserved celebrating. Naturally, it was marked with a loud, slightly off-key chorus of Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer echoing across the Atlantic. Getting past halfway is a huge mental hurdle. Until that point, every mile feels like you’re still heading into the challenge. Once the numbers tip the other way, something shifts. You’re no longer just leaving where you started — you

Photo- train of Starlink satellites (Covering the last 24 hours) We rowed 58 nautical miles in the last 24 hours, which is a huge improvement on every day we’ve had over the past week. As you can imagine, morale has taken a massive boost. Even better, we should pass the halfway point today — 1,335 nautical miles rowed and 1,335 still to go. Psychologically, that’s a big one. The second half should be much quicker than the first. Looking at the forecast, we’re expecting averag

(Covering the last 24 hours) The past 24 hours have been teasing us. We’ve had a taste of the good stuff, only for the ocean to throw in a proper slog shift for good measure. Still, everything is definitely improving — and given that we weren’t forecast anything particularly special, we’re treating every good spell as a bonus. 🌊 Be Careful What You Wish For Although we’re really looking forward to bigger conditions, they come with their own challenges. When it’s flat calm, l

(Covering the last 24 hours) What a difference a day makes! From yesterday afternoon into the evening, we finally picked up some wind from behind — and in the right direction. At the moment it’s only around 12 knots, with the odd stronger gust, but it feels like a gift. It’s a million times better than hauling the boat against the wind. It’s lifted morale on board no end and brought a bit of hope that we might not be out here for months on end… (that definitely wouldn’t happe

(Covering the last 24 hours) I’m going to start with the good, put the bad in the middle, and finish on good again — because today really deserves that structure. 🌊 An Ocean Swim (The Good) Yesterday I got in the water to clean the hull, and honestly, it felt so good. The instant relief of cooling down and being able to move my body in a completely different way was incredible. The very first thing you do when you enter the water is stop and look around properly under the su

(Covering the last 24 hours) The slog goes on. We had around 12 hours of northerly winds, which left us with a choice: either accept a beam wind hitting us from the side — uncomfortable and inefficient — or change course. We opted for the course change, which you’ll be able to see clearly on the tracker. We’re now back on our intended heading, a little closer toward the rhumb line. For anyone wondering what that means, a rhumb line is the most direct, constant compass course

(Covering the last 24 hours) Happy New Year to everyone reading this — we hope you had a great New Year’s Eve and are looking forward to what 2026 has in store. Unfortunately, New Year’s Day out here hasn’t brought us anything particularly kind. 🌊 From Slog… to Slog with Extras Conditions have gone from a straight slog to a slog with a beam wave thrown in for good measure. The constant sideways roll makes it incredibly hard to get any rhythm, and it’s pretty demoralising pul

(Covering the last 24 hours) The last 24 hours have been a total slog, much like the days either side of it. There’s been no wind at all, and every mile has been earned the hard way. That said, I always try to take the positives. When you stop rowing for a couple of minutes to grab a drink or a snack, the silence is actually quite beautiful. No music. No boat noise. Just the gentle slap of waves against the hull. In those moments, the ocean feels calm and almost kind. 🎆 New

(Covering the last 24 hours) Wow… the slog continues. There is literally no wind out here at the moment. When you stop rowing, the silence is eerie — no rush of air, no movement, just the gentle slap of water against the hull. It’s getting to the stage where the monotony and sheer physical effort are starting to wear on both of us. The days are a little quieter now. We talk less and think more — about the better conditions that will come, and about how to get through each row

(Covering the last 24 hours) Yesterday lunchtime Paul got in the water to clean the bottom of the boat. He said it felt so good to be able to move his body in a completely different way after days of rowing — a rare moment of freedom out here. He did a grand job too, scraping off the barnacles and leaving us with a clean bottom once again. It’s always a bit nerve-racking getting into the water until you’ve had a proper look around below the surface through the goggles, just t

(Covering the last 24 hours) Wow. What an epic 12 hours we’ve just had. The wind was hard on the beam — coming straight in from the side — pushing us relentlessly off course. We were trying to hold 245°, but kept getting shoved out to 270–280°. The beam waves didn’t help either, rocking the boat violently from side to side and making it almost impossible to get the oars in cleanly for a decent stroke. So, I put the daggerboard in. For anyone not familiar, it’s a board that dr

(Covering the last 24 hours) Yesterday brought us some new visitors — I think they’re long-tailed tropical birds. Beautiful white birds with long, pointed tail feathers, gliding effortlessly around the boat for a while. Other than that, there’s been very little wildlife, which is a bit disappointing, especially as reports are coming in from other crews seeing whales and all sorts. Our turn will come… hopefully! ⚙️ Checking the Hull We dropped the GoPro over the side yesterday

(Covering the last 24 hours) I’d like to say that yesterday was a different kind of Christmas… but in truth this was my fifth Christmas Day on the ocean. That doesn’t mean it gets easier. You still miss home. You still think about the little traditions that make Christmas feel like Christmas. One that always comes to mind is my dad making Santa footprints up the pathway to the house — boots dipped in flour, leading to the door. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s those small,

25th December – Christmas Day 🎄 (Covering the last 24 hours) Happy Christmas! 🎅🏽 We quickly realised we hadn’t downloaded any Christmas songs… so naturally we made up our own. Quality questionable, enthusiasm high. Last night we decorated Penny B with lights for Christmas Eve. We didn’t leave them on too late though — partly in case they attracted flying fish, and partly because we didn’t want passing ships to think we were a confused tanker out fishing in the middle of th

(Covering the last 24 hours) It’s Christmas Eve. Most of the time out here I immerse myself fully in the row — dealing with the job in hand, hour by hour, shift by shift. But as Christmas approaches, it’s impossible not to let my thoughts drift home. I imagine friends and family busy with last-minute shopping, wrapping presents, kitchens warm with food cooking, Christmas music playing quietly in the background. People coming and going, lists being checked, plans being debated

(Covering the last 24 hours) The past 24 hours have been good. Not as fast as that cracking day we had last week when we were riding the current, but steady and honest miles — and we seem to be holding our own with the boats around us, which we’re really happy with. We’ve rowed 59 nautical miles in the last 24 hours, averaging 2.5 knots. That might not sound fast to someone on land, but when you remember that most of the time only one of us is rowing, and that we’re hauling a

(Covering the last 24 hours) It’s been a real slog over the past 24 hours. We seem to be sitting in a bit of a counter current, which makes the sea more confused and the rowing harder work. Nothing dramatic — just relentless, awkward conditions that make every stroke feel like it has to earn its keep. Yesterday morning’s dolphin visit definitely eased the pain and lifted morale when we needed it most, but it will be very nice to get back to some of the conditions we had earli

(Covering the last 24 hours) WE SAW DOLPHINS!! 🐬 I’m starting this blog completely back to front because the most exciting thing has just happened — literally in the last ten minutes. A pod of dolphins appeared out of nowhere, riding the waves just behind the boat, effortlessly gliding through the water as if the ocean was theirs alone (which, of course, it is). They moved with that smooth, joyful energy that never fails to stop you in your tracks. Out here, moments like tha

(Covering the last 24 hours) Wow! We’re genuinely impressed with our mileage over the last 24 hours: 86 nautical miles rowed with 76 nautical miles VMG. 📈 What Is VMG? VMG stands for Velocity Made Good. If you’re watching us on the YB tracker and wondering what that number means, here’s a simple explanation. Miles rowed = the actual distance the oars have pushed the boat through the water VMG = how much closer we are to Antigua At the moment, we’re heading a little further s

(Covering the last 24 hours) The last 24 hours have been very cloudy, with intermittent rain drifting through. Grey skies, damp air, and that slightly muted feeling the ocean gets when the sun refuses to show itself. Yesterday afternoon at around 4pm, we entertained ourselves with a game of “Would You Rather” — one of those conversations that only ever happens mid-ocean. For the record, Paul would rather eat a smelly man’s hair than lick his armpit. I feel that needed to be d