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Why is this row important?
October 28, 2010 (Day 108) 11.4324S,49.2484E
My effort on this ocean will be significant because, when I finish this row (1) I will be the first one to have ever rowed ACROSS the complete Indian Ocean mainland to mainland; in addition, (2) my rowboat and I are the first on three separate oceans, and (3) as an ocean rower while on this ocean I have already risen to the second place in total career days at sea after the late Peter Bird, surpassing the 541 total days of the legendary John Fairfax; today I stand at 600 days total!
The Indian Ocean has never been crossed to completion by human power. The closest anyone came to this achievement was in 1971 when the Swedish rower Anders Svedlund who had left from Australia, landed on a beach near Antseranana on Madagasgar. Everyone else, only about ten rowboats in total since then, have aimed for the Seychelles or for Mauritius, with only a few successful landings. I must reach the African mainland to ensure the continuity of my human powered circumnavigation path.
I honor Anders Svedlund for he was the first to accept the challenge which the Indian Ocean presented. He completed his effort in a rowboat without the modern advantages such as a GPS or a desalinator.
I also honor Pavel Rezvoy for his row from the Caicos Islands to the Seychelles in 2005. His son Theodore Rezvoy had launched from Australia, but after developing a shoulder injury, had sought refuge at the Caicos Keeling islands. Thinking "this is one for the family name," Pavel in his 60's took over the oars from his son and resumed the row.
The popular destination for rowboats lately has been Mauritius, an island with marinas and logistical conveniences, located 500 nautical miles east of Madagascar. It made for a suitable finish line for the race organizer Woodvale Events recently, without worries about piracy or third world logistics.
However there is more of the Indian Ocean beyond Mauritius to reach mainland, about 1,200 nautical miles whichever way a rower chooses to navigate past Madagascar. This ocean is not finished at Mauritius. Therefore no matter who does them, what their age or gender or nationality may be, how they are marketed, or how many calculatingly ambiguous press releases about them are pumped out, rows to Mauritius cannot be Indian Ocean crossings. Done on one of many possible routes on this ocean, they are simply and no more than: "rows ON the Indian Ocean from Australia to Mauritius." A similar logic applies to the Seychelles.
The lesson in all of this? If I set high standards for myself toward a seemingly impossible goal, then the individual steps along the journey toward that lofty goal become noteworthy in their own right. This crossing which would certainly qualify as an adventure of a lifetime, is merely a step forward in my larger circumnavigation journey.
Erden.
REFERENCES:
... Longest Total Time at Sea
... Rows on the Indian Ocean
... Ocean Rowers Lost at Sea
Many thanks are due to the Ocean Rowing Society staff for diligently maintaining these rowing statistics over the years.
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The strings kept the large brim from flapping up with the wind.
