🚨 NEW WORLD RECORD 🚨
- dawnysmiff
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Wow. We are still pinching ourselves.
We didn’t set out chasing records — in fact, because we weren’t racing, we hadn’t even thought to check the previous mixed pairs times. But after a few days of verification, it’s now official:
👉 Paul and I are the fastest mixed pair to row the Atlantic Ocean East–West.
👉 We beat the previous record by over a full day.
That alone would be incredible — but this crossing has also made me:
the female with the most ocean rowing crossings, and
the female with the most ocean miles rowed.
Those are achievements I never imagined when I first picked up an oar, and I couldn’t be prouder.
One Week on Land
It’s now been one week since we arrived in Antigua, and what a whirlwind it’s been.
It started with that overwhelming arrival — the noise, the crowds, the emotion — and rolled straight into a few intense days of hard graft getting everything set up for the next leg. The oars may be resting for a moment, but the work certainly hasn’t stopped.
A Reset — and the Right Decision
We’ve reset the passage plan, meaning Leg 2 will now start from South Florida rather than Antigua. It’s a shorter route, but the heart of this leg remains unchanged: rowing into Paul’s hometown of Fernandina Beach.
It’s a sensible, safe compromise — and one we’re completely comfortable with.
The boat is due to be shipped on Wednesday, with roughly a week’s transit to Southern Florida. One unexpected upside is that we now have an extra week in Antigua, which means we get to stay and welcome more of the other crews as they arrive.
There are definitely worse places to wait.
Life Ashore (With a Minimal Wardrobe)
The only small downside? I only planned for a few days on land… which means my single pair of shorts is getting serious use. They’ve been washed several times now, but I think it’s time to buy another outfit before people start assuming I haven’t changed my underwear all week — or next week! 😂
Time to Celebrate
Tonight we’re heading up to Shirley Heights, an incredible lookout point for sunset, followed by rum punch, steel bands, and live music. After everything this crossing has thrown at us, it feels like the perfect moment to stop, breathe, and celebrate.
The Work Behind the Scenes
We’re missing Ruth, our right-hand lady and Paul’s better half, who has been absolutely instrumental out here. She’s now back in Florida — where it is apparently freezing cold — sorting real-world admin and logistics.
She’ll be organising the boat trailer we’ll need in South Florida to collect Penny B from the port and get her back into the water. The aim is a relaunch around 15th February, with arrival into Fernandina Beach around the 22nd, rowing north along the coast and into the Gulf Stream.
This past week has been emotional, exhausting, and deeply rewarding. Thank you to everyone who has followed the tracker, read the blogs, sent messages, donated, shared posts, and believed in this journey.
This really is a team effort.
Onwards — and on to Leg 2.
Dawn
“Together Paul and I are rowing home — the long way round.”
Hometown Row
Leg 1 – La Gomera to Antigua
Leg 2 – Antigua to Florida
Leg 3 – Canada to the UK
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