Woodvale Transatlantic Rowing Race–Heating Up….Finally I knew this thing would stop being so boring if I just ignored it for a while. And for the first time in this event an unholy battle has broken out at the front of the fleet, with two boats–Team CRC and team Holiday Shoppe Challenge–dueling it out, stroke for stroke and blister for blister. Team CRC has been leading most of the way, but Holiday Shoppe must have been inspired by a desire to be home in time for Christmas and has rowed flat out to take the lead by a mere 28 miles. Further back in the fleet, light winds and a counter-current are making teams miserable (well, what did you expect, when you decided to ROW across the Atlantic?). Here’s what Atlantic Wholff had to say about things:

“Yes, we’re still in the treacle! As well as our sense of humour the last 10 days spent in this very unusual phenomenon has cost us about 15 miles per day in lost distance and will add 2/3 days to our crossing time…”Life within this current has been really strange. There have been no fish to see (or catch) and very little bird life, which is in complete contrast to previous weeks when there has been abundant wildlife and we have had to put up with a continuous nightime barrage of flying fish intent on knocking us out! Last night we witnessed from about 10 miles a most incredible electrical storm and as we were on the same track, were able to have our route illuminated for us throughout the hours of darkness.”

Atlantic Wholff Finds the Countercurrent: “Dammit, I told you we should ignore the advice of that stupid bear in the bow….”

(Photo: Challenge Business)