Government of Antigua and Barbuda

 

Indian Rower to Arrive in Antigua on
Monday after Crossing the Atlantic

June 10, 2007

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua

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Indian national Bhavik Gandhi who is attempting to row 3000 miles (5000 km) across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain to Antigua is schedule to reach land at English Harbour on Monday June 11.

Bhavik is rowing solo and unsupported, in a 23ft rowing boat, spending an estimated 102 days at sea.

If Bhavik succeeds, he will be the first Asian to ever complete a solo ocean crossing. He will also break the existing record set by Emmanuel Coindre of France and be the 32nd person to ever achieve a solo Atlantic crossing.

Bhavik is also raising the awareness of the work done by the Shark Trust a charity that promotes the study, management and conservation of sharks.

The Media is invited to cover Bhavik's arrival at English Harbour during the course of Monday. Please place in your diary of activities for short notice.

Ocean Rowing: One of the world's toughest endurance challenges. Ocean rowing is the sport of rowing across oceans.

Relying on muscle-power alone, athletes have to endure extreme weather conditions in the open -ocean, gale force winds, 40 ft waves, severe sleep depravation, mental fatigue and sharks.

This sport is unique in terms of its difficulty, exceptional length and demands on physical and mental endurance. The sport is as much a psychological as it is a physical challenge. Rowers often have to endure long periods at sea with help often many days if not weeks away. The challenge is especially acute for solo rowers who are held in especially high esteem within the sport.

Fast Facts:

o Start: Spain, Landfall: Antigua
o Distance: 3000 miles (5000 kms)
o Est Time: 90 days
o Boat Design: 23 ft wood, Epoxy re-enforced
o Food: Dry Rations, 8000 cals/day
o Water: Desalinator
o Communications: Satellite Phone, Argos Satellite Tracking
o Sails & Motor or Support Ship: none

Perils at Sea
Bhavik's boat will have no sails, no motor, no support ship. Relying on muscle-power alone, he will be at the mercy of the weather and have to endure extreme conditions such as gale force winds, storms and regular 4-storey high waves in the open ocean. The 102 days of isolation without any human contact combined with severe sleep deprivation and irregular sleeping patterns will also exert an exceptional amount of mental stress on Bhavik. Seemingly simple tasks like scrubbing the barnacles at the bottom of the boat, that slow the boat down, will also be a risk considering the smaller fish, which feed off the growth on the underside of the boat, are food for sharks and whales. And, of course, there is always the risk of being hit by speeding cargo boats that fail to see his boat on their radar. Did we forget to mention - Bhavik will also cross the notorious Bermuda Triangle stretch?

Survival Guide
He plans to row for 10-12 hours daily. The rest of the time will be divided between eating, cleaning and maintaining the boat, and trying to catch up on some much needed sleep. To keep his sanity intact he will be carrying a laptop, a PDA, an iPod and a satellite phone which will be his only contact with the outside world. Of course, Bhavik will also carry extra supplies but then that is prime attraction for sharks. He will also be carrying a GPS system, an Argos tracking system and a SeeMe device that will enable his boat to be picked up by the radars of large ships.

"Water, water, everywhere; Not a drop to drink," Words made famous by Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Ancient Mariner. Well, Bhavik is making sure he doesn't need to repeat those words. Solution - an on-board Desalinator.

Bhavik Gandhi - A Brief Profile
Bhavik is a serial entrepreneur and is currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the founder and the principal partner at the Development Venture Capital Group, a venture capital fund specialising in micro venture capital for social entrepreneurs in developing countries. His present work also involves investments in high growth startups specialising in Next Generation Network technologies.

Partners
Bhavik has received widespread corporate and media support from several leading Indian and International Companies. His international supporters are Tag Heuer, Western Union Money Transfer, Panasonic, Onsite Systems, Apple, Ocean Rowing Society, Ursuk, Six Apart, Argos, and Iridium. The Indian companies on board are Idea Cellular, Amaron, Satyam, Sahara, L&T, Dhruva Interactive, makemytrip.com, Proline Fitness Planet, CNBC TV 18, Accord Public Relations, Maxim, Man's World, exchange4media.com, Sify, Tehelka, indiainfoline.com, cobrapost.com and many others.

Support Bhavik
Show your support for Bhavik Gandhi by logging on to www.bhavik.com and leaving a message for him. You can also participate in the boat-naming competition and be a part of history in the making. The site also has latest news, pictures and videos of Bhavik's planned trip; this information will continue to be updated via satellite phone as he makes his way across the Atlantic.

The Boat

o Length: 23.4 feet / 7.1 meters
o Width/Beam: 6.3 feet / 1.9 meters
o Depth: 3 feet / 1 meter
o Weight: 750 kg / 1,650 lbs

The boat is made of 6mm thick marine plywood with a coat of epoxy resin for strength and resilience to water. The boat provides shelter in the rear cabin, which also houses the water maker and all on-board electrics (solar powered). All food supplies are stored in sealed bags underneath the rowing deck.

In the likely event of the boat capsizing, several design factors have been introduced to ensure it rights itself. The watertight cabins fore and aft are egg-shaped due to which it is extremely unstable when upside down. Moreover, the air trapped in the cabin keeps the hull buoyant and combined with the heavy stores in the keel creates a high centre of gravity that causes the boat to right itself.

Government of Antigua and Barbuda