Tiny Little

Rower Tiny is a big hero

18 May 2005 06:37

Two years ago he hatched a risky plan to do what he could in the memory of his friend's son. Now Norwich publican James 'Tiny' Little is preparing to return home a hero - after completing one of the most gruelling Atlantic crossings in history. LORNA MARSH tracks the highs and lows of his incredible 3000-mile solo rowing trip.

On January 25 James 'Tiny' Little, landlord of the Alexandra Tavern in Norwich, celebrated Burns night in the usual way by piping in a haggis and toasting it with a dram of whisky.

But unlike others joining in the tradition, he was in a small rowing boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean - hundreds of miles from land and other people.

It is typical of this determined character that he should not have let these minor details get in the way of a celebration.

And it was that determination to make the best of every situation that ensured the 49-year-old - who had been turned down for life insurance - first endured months of arduous preparation for his journey, and second that he completed it despite the most unfavourable weather possible in the Atlantic.

In doing so, he became only the 27th person to complete the East-West crossing single-handedly.

About the same number again have failed and four have been lost at sea.

What is more, Kenneth Crutchlow, executive director of the Ocean Rowing Society testified that his was one of the most gruelling crossings he had ever been made aware of, simply because of the unforgiving weather.

"It is a spectacular achievement, the most difficult thing for him to overcome was the weather and also as a result the amount of time he spent at sea, 118 days."

But Tiny - who once weighed an imposing 18-stone - likes to look on the positive side of things and as such plays down the misfortune that plagued him from when he set off from La Gomera in the Canaries on January 20 to when he arrived in Antigua on Tuesday.

He says the weather "does what it does" and if that is not what he needs it to do it can't be his misfortune.

"As I see it I am a guest on the sea, the weather is its own boss and it can't be called bad if it doesn't do what I want."

His fascinating online diary, completed almost every day, provides an insight into that spirit, mentioning the fact that the boat nearly capsized one night in the same cheerful breath as a yearning for toffee.

And rather than succumb to the misery allowable for someone finding themselves stuck unmoving in the middle of the ocean because of contrary wind patterns he makes a joke out of it, relaying a conversation he might have had with the weather customer services department, had there been one.

Tiny even goes as far as calling certain large waves "matron" to ease relations between them.

"The wave is a giant. It resembles a hospital Matron at full steam, always preceded by a couple of large bustling Sisters and followed by a pair of giggling chanting acolytes," he writes.

"When your innocent boat gets in the way, it is carried rapidly up her front and up to the hat which is the part that does the humiliating whack, and tosses you and boat to one side for the acolytes to snigger at as they speed along behind.

"Anyway, it is helped to civilise my relation with the big waves. When I received a drenching this morning I was able to call out 'morning matron' instead of shouting an expletive."

The rollercoaster journey he endured dipped from witnessing thousands of dolphins playing as far as the eye could see to a shark circling the boat.

But from treacherous storms, nasty eddies and unrelenting heat to the sheer weight of being alone Tiny kept a humour going that undoubtedly ensured his achievement in the end.

In fact it seems the loss of the speakers on his beloved MP3 player was as much as a difficulty as repairing a steer line in the middle of the night after a wave engulfed the boat.

He said small things, such as the sipping of champagne on the 25th anniversary of the wedding to his wife Anita, his regular meals, celebrations and texts from friends as well as keeping his online diary kept him level.

There were only two things that really brought him down, the unbearable itching of salt water on skin and the current eddies that kept blowing him off course just a few miles from completion.

Tiny ended up rowing naked for the last few weeks, partly because of the irritation of wearing salt-sodden clothes but also because they were engulfing his now skinny frame.

Once his nickname was meant ironically, now it truly fits. He has lost five stone in preparation for his adventure and it is estimated he has lost another three during it, making him nearly half the man - physically if not in spirit.

To read Tiny's fascinating diary follow the link on the EDP website: www.edp24.co.uk