‘Virgin Global Row’ is an expedition mounted by Olly Hicks, the solo oarsman, to circumnavigate Antarctica. Rowing solo 18,000 miles around the world in the most hostile marine environment. Having already solo-rowed the Atlantic, Olly anticipates taking some 18-22 months for the whole voyage around Antarctica and he will be at sea all that time, except for over-wintering on South Georgia.
Hicks plans to circumnavigate Antarctica at roughly 55 degrees south,
departing from Tasmania in January 2009. From there he will drop south to pass below New Zealand’s South Island before heading east across the South Pacific Ocean towards Cape Horn. Here Hicks aims to pass through the Drake Passage, at around 58 degrees south, before making course for South Georgia.
On departure from Tasmania there will be 360 days of provisions on board
Hicks’ boat ‘The ‘Flying Carrot’ but he intends to make landfall seven or so
months into the journey to avoid a full winter at sea. Whether Hicks reaches
South Georgia before winter moves-in remains to be seen; this is entirely
dependent on what weather greets Hicks in the Southern Ocean.
If conditions become too severe he will stop in Tierra del Fuego instead. However, Plan A is to arrive into South Georgia some seven months into the expedition, hopefully around June 2009, to re-supply and over-winter there until October, when he will again take to the Southern Ocean and head eastwards to Tasmania. Hicks’ shore team will need to adapt its logistics planning for the time and location of the re-supply as the expedition develops.
Olly will aim to stay in the circumpolar current (the ocean current that
travels all the way around Antarctica) at roughly 50 degrees south. It is known that the Southern Ocean is the most inhospitable ocean in the world as there is no landmass to prevent the seas building. It is anticipated that Olly and The Flying Carrot will face some 50 foot waves, at times for days on end. Rowing will not be possible in these conditions so Olly will ‘batten down the hatches’ and live in the watertight stern cabin.
At the age of 14 Olly Hicks announced that he would row
the Atlantic. By 23, Olly had become the first person to row solo Eastbound across the North Atlantic, from New York to the Isles of Scilly, completing this epic voyage in 124 days and breaking three records:
- The first person to row solo from America to the UK
- The youngest person ever to row an ocean solo.
- The longest solo-rowed crossing of the North Atlantic.
Prior to rowing the Atlantic, Olly completed endurance expeditions that not only proved him, physically and mentally, but also gave him first-class
credentials to present to sponsors.
These expeditions included:
- Lands End to John O’Groats. (Cycling 1609 kilometres, the full length of the UK)
- The Marathon Des Sables. (Running six marathons back to back across the Sahara)
- The Yukon Canoe race. (Canoeing 700 kilometres: longest canoe race in the world)
Almost two years on and Hicks is hoping to become the first person to row
solo around the world.You can read more about this epic journey at
Related posts:
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- Peter van Kets prepares boat for record breaking Rowing Race Across Atlantic Ocean
- Daily Ocean Rowing, Kayaking and Water Expeditions News Roundup Fri 27 Nov
- Do you fancy rowing in this ocean? Part of carnitine lipoic video series
- kayaking – This is What Distinguishes an Ocean Kayak From the Rest of the Kayaks
What an inspiration, I cant imagine spending so long alone, the feelings of isolation and battling the elements must be enormous.