Launch date looms for Peter Harley’s North Atlantic solo row
The former South Coaster is aiming to raise funds for various charities as part of his epic row.
Former South Coaster Peter Harley (61) is in the final stages of his preparations to row solo from the USA to France, 4000 miles (6437km) across the North Atlantic, aided on the tech side of things from land by his daughter Bonnie Evans.
This kind of expedition is very unlikely to be attempted by a South Coaster again anytime soon.
Peter, formerly from Southbroom. moved to the US a few years ago to be closer to Bonnie and her husband Duncan and their daughter Norah.
He arrived in Norfolk, Virginia from his home base Cary, North Carolina on April 1 and will be launching out of Lynnhaven Marina.
This is a marina with very strong tidal currents, so getting the timing right will be crucial.
Peter explained that the dates with favourable tides to make a daylight launch in early May are from the 2nd to the 8th, so he’ll be looking for good supporting wind conditions during those days.”
A night time launch would be very unwise given the commercial and naval shipping traffic using Norfolk,” he said.
He’ll know the exact launch date in the last week of April, and hopes to get going by May 8 latest.
There will be live positional tracking available on the website www.northatlanticchallenge.com after launch.
Peter said that while there have been some challenges getting to this point, including the obvious naysayers, but that overall it had ‘been a blast’ with so many new experiences, meeting many inquisitive, interested and interesting people at the lake, out and about, at the gym and at various other places.”
They all have a different take on the adventure and having Bonnie along for the ride has been awesome.”
Total training distance rowed to date is in excess of 1100 miles.
“Physically and mentally I’m as prepared as I can be. The boat has been fully loaded with gear, equipment and food and now weighs in excess of 1.2 tons and is expedition ready,” he said.
His first objective after launch will be a ENE heading to get off the continental shelf which, at approximately 80 miles off Virginia, drops off into deep water.
The next target is to get into the Gulf Stream proper, which is about another 60 miles from the shelf, then maintaining roughly a ENE-NE heading for about 1600 miles.
The heading then kicks NE for about 700 miles, skirting the New Foundland shelf, then back to ENE and E for about 1700 miles into La Trinité-Sur-Mer, France.
The entire route is plotted on Google earth and can be viewed on the website. Holding that track to any kind of accuracy will be extremely difficult if not impossible but it gives me an idea of where I am as far as preferred track is concerned,” he said.
Peter’s been asked what a typical day at sea would look like.
There are multiple options and no one option will work all the time.
The 24 hour day will be divided into roughly equal time frames, so four shifts of six hours, with either four hours rowing and two hours rest or three hours rowing, three hours rest/sleep, or six shifts of four hours, two hours on, two hours sleep, etc.
Another option is to row four shifts of 10 miles (approximately three hours) per shift with rest between, completing the 24 hour period.
Again, the option will depend on weather, sea and physical conditions, so a very dynamic decision making process based on constantly changing conditions.
This will continue 24/7 for the duration of the crossing taking anything from three to four months.
Unrowable, head-on or simply out-of-control conditions will mean deploying the ‘para anchor’ to stabilise things and avoid going backwards too far.
The unpredictable and rapidly changing conditions in the North Atlantic means this will likely be a fairly regular occurrence.
“This route has only ever been attempted twice. Neither was successful, so to say this will be tough is somewhat of an understatement. Success is by no means a given and that is the challenge.”
There will be live positional tracking available on the website www.northatlanticchallenge.com after launch.
Peter will have text communication with Bonnie and a few others via satellite but no internet or voice calling is available.
Updates will be posted on the website and Instagram by Bonnie as things unfold.
This same system will provide him with weather updates.
Bonnie, Duncan and Norah will be joining Peter in Norfolk at the end of April to share in the launch.
Bonnie has been an integral part of this expedition from the moment Peter mentioned the idea five years ago.
“From it being a dream through to reality, without ever wavering, she has supported this expedition. Just 100% unconditional belief. This level of support and conviction while fully understanding the consequences is rare.”
“In a different way, getting to this point has been as challenging for her as it has for me and I could not be more proud of her. Whatever the outcome after launch, the process thus far, to use a cliché, has been life changing for both of us. So, I can’t let my daughter down, no pressure!”
He’s embarking on the challenge to raise funds for various charities and to urge folk to take care of the planet.
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