Approach to Falmouth Harbour

Champagne Celebrations

Happy Day's !
14th July 2005 11:00 BST    
Having arrived in the Isles of Scilly to the most spectacular and humbling of welcomes we were somewhat sad to have to leave in the early hours of Tuesday morning bound for Falmouth. To all you in Scilly who made our day special we send you a big thank you, Jim, Roy, Mike, Glen, Glen's wife who made bacon and sausage sandwiches at 01:00am when we arrived home from the pub. In fact a big thank you to all of you who were drinking in the Mermaid on Monday night, not one person complained about the personal hygene of the crew, what a place.

Rising from a deep sleep at 03:30am the crew boarded Naturally Best for the last leg, Mick Dawson of Woodvale events had come to the Scilly Isles with a boat in order to tow us back to the mainland. Waiting in Falmouth were our families, friends, sponsors, Vivaldi potatoes, alcohol, beds, showers and a razor to remove the Captain Birdseye Beards. As we approached a Land's End the sun was rising such a special scene for what was the approaching end of our life changing journey, we all have so many special memories the last leg was in silence as we all no doubt were contemplating the reality of returning to land.

As we approached Falmouth Harbour the tow rope was cast aside and we rowed the final leg in. Now we have faced some hard times whilst away but without doubt that final 3 mile row was most epic, with temperatures reaching Gas mark 8! Rob and Nigel were leaking sweat rapidly and things nearly got a bit too emotional when a nearby boat pointed to the distant Headland and told us that was Falmouth. It was so funny we forgot to laugh!

As we entered the Harbour with a flotilla of boats in attendance we were blown away by the crowds, thank you to everyone that attended it is your presence, congratulations, and humbling words of admiration that make our achievements seem or the more worthwhile. Well as we approached the pontoon head on we showed our true seamanship skills or lack of, still all that is bye the bye when stood there on the pontoon are your elated wife’s, sons, daughters, parents, sponsors and friends.

Since then everything has been a blur! And that’s not because of excessive alcohol. It still has not sunk in the magnitude and significance of what we have achieved, but I have no doubt as we make our way home and normality returns our achievement will register.

Whilst the rowing is finished the journey has not we do have some exciting news to announce in the coming days, all will be revealed till then thank you very much to you all for your support we could not have done this without you. A special thank you must also go to Vivaldi your support and commitment to our project has been incredible.

One life live it!

Yours the crew

Rob, Nigel, Steve, George