Read indepth magazine
Superyacht Captain Mark Delstanche Rows Solo Across the Atlantic
As you read this - if you’re reading this roughly around the time of publish - superyacht captain Mark Delstanche is bobbing somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, propelling his 7-metre rowboat Peggy steadily towards the general direction of London. Having departed from New York on 14th June, Mark’s solo trip across the Atlantic has thus far consisted of close encounters with sharks, oil tankers, and more than one capsize - all in an effort to raise money for his chosen charities.
Hoping to raise over £50,000 for The Plastic Ocean Project and Make Some Noise, captain and adventurer Mark Delstanche will become the first person to row solo across the Atlantic from New York to London and in a rowboat of this size. Estimated to take him five months to complete in fair winds, and comprising 12-14 hours of rowing per day, Mark and his wife Helene, Ocean Independence charter broker, have been posting regular updates of the gruelling trip on his social channels.
Despite intolerable weather conditions, muscle pains, capsizes and even a close brush with a 3-metre shark, the journey has not been entirely without its silver linings. One such uplifting encounter was the mid-Atlantic run-in with M/Y GENE MACHINE, 55m Amels yacht and mothership to M/Y GENE CHASER.
‘I knew the boat well as I had run one of her sister ships and had met the owners when they viewed my boat in Monaco,’ Mark wrote on his social media, ‘Having not seen another human for a few weeks it was an absolute thrill to see them and I can’t thank them and Captain Brian enough for the efforts in coming over to cheer me on.’
We would like to congratulate Mark on his progress thus far and wish him the best of luck with the remainder of his journey. To track Mark’s progress and find out how you can get involved, head to www.northatlanticsolo.com.