Monday, April 30, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Moneycontrol India :: News :: Bhavik Gandhi halfway to World Solo Ocean Crossing Record :: :: Press- News :: Bhavik Gandhi ,Spain,Antigua,World Solo Ocean Crossing Record.
Rowing solo and unaided, Bhavik Gandhi has crossed the halfway mark rowing from Spain to Antigua. Over grueling 1600 miles Bhavik has been at sea for over 47 days. In pursuit of a world record, Bhavik has been relentless in pushing the boundaries of equipment, body and mind beyond limits.
On Day 28, a broken rudder made rowing next to impossible. Makeshift repairs have kept the rudder back in place. All the while Bhavik rowed without a movable rudder.
Heard about a quiet ocean being deceptive! How about waking up to a 300 ft rust bucket within a 100 ft of running you over because the cargo ship didn’t have its radar turned on. Add to, lack of proper sleep, salt sores and the desalinator not working - all a part of a normal rowing day across the coean.
A water leak further compounded problems. Bhavik recently discovered that 5 liters of seawater had found its way into the 3 watertight compartments just under the sleeping area. Substantial food supplies were lost. Several manuals, books and videotapes were damaged beyond repair and the cabin turned damp and smelly. Bhavik overcame the odds and found a way to fix the leak to reduce the water seepage considerably. Bhavik has however decided to head to the nearest shipping lanes, which would help in case an emergency arose and he needed help quickly.
Despite facing all these obstacles, Bhavik is well on his way to setting a World Record. Bhavik has now caught the favourable trade winds and is in good spirits. He is once again making good mileage despite the extended duration of the journey. Despite having battled nature and all she threw at him, Bhavik is now closer to Antigua, to realizing a lifelong dream and in the process setting a new World Solo Ocean Crossing Record.
Bhavik Gandhi halfway to World Solo Ocean Crossing Record
2007-04-28 10:23:44
Rough waters ahead - livemint
Mumbai: Liquid-blue desert fading into a blue horizon. No human contact. A series of crises caused by equipment failure and damage. Three aborted attempts. Why would anyone want to row solo and unsupported, for 90 days, across the Atlantic in a 23ft wooden boat, from Spain to Antigua? Underlying the question, on the average person’s mind, is the thought that anyone who attempts this has got to be mad.
The day I speak to 29-year-old Bhavik Gandhi, via his satellite phone, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean—on Day 42 of his fourth attempt to cross the Atlantic—he’s down, but nowhere near out. He admits that he’s started having mild hallucinations and what he misses most is: “To walk. I haven’t
walked more than three metres a day for 42 days now! And human contact, which a sat phone can’t make up for.”
The day is 11 April 2007 and the Stockholm-based venture capitalist has rowed 1,452 nautical miles from Spain. He has 1,505 nautical miles (2,784 km) left to go and has had a very bad night after discovering his boat is leaking. Besides a broken rudder, almost non-existent navigation lights and a near collision with a cargo ship, his desalinator, which generates potable water, is now on the blink.
On his 41st day at sea, when his sat phone refused to charge, Gandhi went into the hatch to locate the spare phone, and found his boat had a leak. “It’s really hard to be alone out here, and I’m trying not to panic,” he says of his situation. “Of course there is fear; fear is part of the motivation that keeps me going.” As do the amazing sunsets and the incredible closeness to marine wildlife. “The dolphins and pilot whales came by and I’ve seen things I’ll never ever see anywhere else, and it all makes up for the extreme hardship,” he says.
On Day 33, Gandhi wrote in his online expedition log: “Just as I was about to take a break, a pod of dolphins stopped by. Quite a sociable lot, they came right up to the boat, playing around the bow, chasing the fish underneath, making their whistling noises and just showing off. They were not scared away when I got into the water (even though I've not had a shower for a month!) and I felt privileged that they allowed me to swim with them in the wild, film them and just be a bystander… trusting me enough to come right up and play around with the fluorescent float on the video camera. Superstition says that they are a good omen. In any case, they definitely lifted my spirits. Every time people ask me WHY? Why cross the Atlantic in a rowing boat, just 2ft above water? How I wish I could point to days like this and say “That's why!”
They are the most magnificent and human-like creatures. This has been one of the most memorable moments of this trip. All of a sudden, all the hardships faced on land seem a small price to pay for an experience like today’s.”
Everest - Mount Everest by climbers, news
Bhavik Gandhi Halfway there Bhavik Gandhi has seen some rough times in the past few weeks, but on Saturday he had some unequivocally good news — he reached his halfway point on his row across the Atlantic.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Gandhi crosses half way mark. | PTI - The Press Trust of India Ltd. (April , 2007)
Gandhi crosses half way mark.
Gandhi crosses half way mark
New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI) In his attempt to become the first Asian to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Bhavik Gandhi has successfully crossed the half-way mark by overcoming all the odds that open sea threw at him.
Gandhi has been at sea...
Gandhi crosses half way mark. | PTI - The Press Trust of India Ltd. (April , 2007)
Monday, April 23, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
India Positive: April 15, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Bhavik Gandhi rows the Atlantic solo
Bhavik Gandhi began his attempt at becoming the first Indian and first Asian to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean on 28th February, 2007.
Bhavik set off from the coast of Spain and is expected to reach his destination Antigua, 3000 nautical miles away, in about 90 days.
Bhavik in his attempt to row across the Atlantic unaided is at the mercy of the weather and has to endure extreme conditions such as gale force winds, storms and regular 4-storey high waves in the open ocean, not to mention the constant fear of sharks and whales.
Read more on Bhavik Gandhi's journey
Toughbook Headlines - Official Panasonic Laptop Computers
"Bhavik Gandhi, has started a world record attempt for fastest solo Atlantic crossing - the first ever by an Indian. The voyage commences from La Gomera in Spain and ends at Antigua in Barbados. Gandhi's sole companion during this expedition will be Panasonic's rugged waterproof ToughBook CF-29 laptop."
Rowing his way into record books-India-The Times of India
Rowing his way into record books
15 Apr 2007, 0008 hrs IST
NEW DELHI: He's all alone in a red boat in the middle of the Atlantic for the past 45 days. Thousands of miles away from land, 29-year-old Bhavik Gandhi is rowing his 24-feet boat, facing gale winds, storms and waves as high as a four-storey building.
But nothing can deter him from setting a world record for being the first Indian and Asian to row across the Atlantic. So far, 23 non-Asians have accomplished this feat. In fact, this is Gandhi's fourth attempt in the last one year.
The earlier three times, he had to abandon his journey due to technical problems such as a broken radar, being ship-wrecked on rock formations. "I hope my journey will inspire others to take on personal or business challenges that seem impossible and see them through," says the Stockholm-based venture capitalist.
Gandhi's trying to traverse 3,000 nautical miles (nm) between El Hierro off the coast of Spain to Antigua in 90 days. What's more, his boat has no sails, no motor, and no support ship. He's at least five days away from any kind of rescue in case of an emergency. Through this journey, Gandhi is also raising awareness for Shark Trust, a charity that promotes the study, management and conservation of sharks.
"The journey is 30% physical and 70% mental strength," he says. Yes, after 45 days, he does feel lonely and stressed. And he's still not close to the half-way mark, thanks to strong winds and waves which have pushed him north several times. Also, his mileage has been low and his rudder damaged. To top it, his water desalination equipment has stopped working and sea water has seeped in and damaged rations and equipment. What's worse, he's unable to gain distance even after rowing 10-12 hours daily. Estimates show he may take 102 days to complete the journey at 15 nm per day.
This is what he posted his website on the 40th day: "Wish I could share with you all the feeling of futility after watching the trip computer show only 19 miles of progress after rowing all day....After evaluating my position and progress for the past 40 days, I feel stressed at the slow pace of progress, watching time slip away and the hurricane season getting closer."
This season starts early this year. In fact, Gandhi may even have to change course after crossing midway. So how does he keep his moral high after row of bad days? "Everyday, I set out a different goal. Besides, I love to watch the sharks and whales that swim with me. Simultaneous sunsets and moonrises are breath-taking. Of course, the nights are pitch-dark and lonely. I have never seen this kind of darkness." It's a journey full of risks.
Even seemingly simple tasks like scrubbing the barnacles at the bottom of the boat, (these slow the boat), are risky. Smaller fish which feed off them, are food for sharks and whales. When water filled one of the boat's hold on the 40th day, Gandhi had to bail it or risk sinking as all the contents from it were kept on the deck, making the boat top-heavy.
Plus, there are speeding ships which fail to see his boat on their radar. Last Tuesday, he had a close shave when he woke up to find a Chinese cargo ship within 100 feet of him. "It was sailing without its radar on. I could have been mowed down. I radioed the crew, but they didn't understand English," he says.
But then, challenges are nothing new to Gandhi. From cycling from Stockholm to Istanbul, trekking across Siberia, he's done it all. And what does he miss most at sea? "The possibility of walking. For the past 40 days, I've just taken three steps between the deck and the cabin, backwards and forwards. I'm trying not to think about it, or I just might be tempted to put on my shoes and go out for a jog in the sea," he says wistfully.
sujata.sachdeva@timesgroup.com
K2climb.net - K2 and Karakorum by climbers, news
Bhavik Gandhi update: Water leak, rescue on standby It’s been touch-and-go with Bhavik Gandhi since he discovered water leaking in three compartments of his stern on Wednesday, providing yet another devastating setback that could jeopardize the future of his Atlantic crossing and may require an emergency rescue.
Friday, April 13, 2007
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