Tuesday 12th January
- dawnysmiff
- Jan 13
- 2 min read
(Covering the last 24 hours)
Wow — the afterburners are on!
We covered 79 nautical miles in the past 24 hours. We absolutely worked for every mile, but it was more than worth it. Days like this remind you just how rewarding ocean rowing can be when effort and conditions finally line up.
🌑 Darker Nights Again
The nights are getting really dark now as the moon is waning and rising much later — in fact, in the early hours of the morning rather than during the night.
A waning moon is the phase where the illuminated portion of the moon is getting smaller each day, as it moves from full moon toward new moon. With less moonlight, nights out here become pitch black again, and you truly feel like you’re rowing through space rather than across water.
Unfortunately, no stargazing last night. The sky was thick with cloud, and at around 8am we had sheet lightning spread across the sky, lighting everything up momentarily as it flashed. There was no thunder — just silent bursts of light.
I’ve been in a lightning storm before, during my solo row in 2019. The electrical charge in the atmosphere was so intense that my VHF aerials started buzzing. Nothing like that this time, thankfully — but at least now I’d know exactly what was happening.
🗺️ Planning the Bigger Picture
I’ve done a lot of planning for the next legs back to the UK, but the reality is that the single biggest factor guiding departure times and routing will always be the weather.
Paul and I have been talking through different options and have made some really good contacts across the Caribbean to help with route planning. Just as importantly, we’re identifying safe havens and sources of assistance if required.
While we don’t plan to stop after leaving Antigua until we reach Florida, we’re making sure there are plans for every eventuality. Nobody has ever successfully rowed this route before, so we’re leaving no stone unturned.
🌧️ Today’s Outlook
Today looks a bit gloomy — lots of cloud and rain, which isn’t ideal for charging the boat’s batteries. That said, spirits on board are high. With the miles ticking down and Antigua getting closer every day, morale is strong.
Out here, progress isn’t just measured in miles, but in mindset. When you’re tired, battered, and wet, hope is a powerful thing — and right now, we’ve got plenty of it.
Onwards.
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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