Tuesday 6th January – Day 22
- dawnysmiff
- Jan 6
- 3 min read
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 average winds of around 16 knots, all from behind us. If that plays out, we’re currently hoping to land in Antigua before the end of January, which would be amazing.
Last year, rowing as a four, we completed the crossing in 43 days. I don’t think we’ll beat that time, but we might not be far off. That said, we’re genuinely not racing. We still have a very long journey beyond Antigua, so we’re not going to blow ourselves up trying to shave hours off this leg — although it’s impossible not to compare when you’re out here in a race environment.
⏱️ Comparison Is Hard to Avoid
On my first ocean row in 2019, I rowed solo and independent, not part of an event. Even then, I was chasing a record, so comparison was unavoidable. I missed that record by 72 hours, but interestingly, once I realised I couldn’t catch the pace, I actually enjoyed the row more. Without a target to chase, I allowed myself to slow down, stop, and properly enjoy moments like visiting turtles and other wildlife.
Not that we’ve seen much wildlife on this crossing…
🌍 Then vs Now – Life at Sea
Back in 2019, communication was very different. The only option was a sat phone, paired with a system that created a weak Wi-Fi signal. It could only be used with a specific email account that compressed everything — no photos, no videos, no social media, no WhatsApp. Just one email system to send blogs and receive weather files (GRIB files).
Fast forward to now, and I’m using Starlink Mini, which has completely revolutionised communication at sea. In simple terms, it’s a small satellite dish that connects directly to low-orbit satellites, giving us real internet even in the middle of the Atlantic.
It’s brilliant for safety, weather routing, and sharing the journey with you all. But I do sometimes worry it could take away from part of the experience. One of the things I love most about ocean rowing is that once you leave shore, there are no emails, no work calls, no constant demands. You’re in your own world, and your brain gets a proper detox.
That said — we have to move with the times.
We only switch Starlink on for about one hour per day. During that time, I:
Download weather data
Plot our course for the next 24 hours
Communicate with Ed, who’s looking after our boat polars (more on that another day) and giving his weather appraisal based on them
Write and send this blog
Occasionally I’ll check messages, and sometimes email — but usually only once a week, just to avoid coming home to a mountain of admin.
So if you’ve sent a message and I haven’t replied yet, please forgive me. I promise I’ll read them all. Your support genuinely means the world to us out here.
❤️ A Final Note
And finally — if you’re feeling generous, please don’t forget to visit the charity donation page (link on the website). I’m raising money for the incredible charity Phoenix Heroes, and any support at all would be hugely appreciated.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
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
📩 You can have Dawn’s blogs delivered directly to your inbox here:
🌐 Or visit the website: www.rowaurora.co.uk
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