Alistair Smee and Chris Marett

THEY ARE ON THE CREST OF A WAVE

Rowing heroes rescued from Atlantic battering

Bubbling with excitement: Alistair Smee and Chris Marett celebrate with family and friends
Henley rowers Alistair Smee and Chris Marett have reached Barbados at the end of their epic voyage across the Atlantic — but only after surviving a life-threatening final 36 hours. They were just nine miles short of the finishing line in Port St. Charles when a freak storm blew up and drove them 24 miles north of the island. Their 24ft boat was hurled around on 50ft-high waves and battered by 45 m.p.h winds, dashing their hopes of finishing the race unaided.

A rescue mission was launched from Barbados but, when the safety boat found them, conditions were too dangerous to risk boarding.
Eventually a tow line was attached to a D-ring, only for the violent seas to rip it loose.
A second line was tied around the scuppers and then began the long haul to safety. But the boat began to break up and a second safety vessel was dispatched to enable the first boat to go to the aid of other vessels after distress flares were spotted.
The relief boat found Alistair and Chris eight miles offshore and a rope attached to a buoy was thrown into the sea. Our heroes dived overboard — despite the presence of a six-foot long shark circling below — grabbed the rope and were hauled aboard before their damaged boat was attached to a tow line.

As they approached the finishing line, Alistair and Chris both clambered back aboard their own boat so they could row the final few yards to the finish.

Family, friends and fellow rowers lined the harbour side and at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday they took their first faltering footsteps on dry land after 72 days and eight-and-a-half hours at sea.

“That was one hell of a trip,” said Alistair. “The last day and a half were incredible. We haven’t slept for four days and those waves were the size of Henley Town Hall. They hammered us non-stop.

“The rescue boat was only 50 metres away but we only caught sight of it occasionally due to the height of the waves.”
Chris added: “Nobody told us about that shark. I guess that was why they pulled us in as quickly as they did.
“To see so many people waiting to welcome us home was just fantastic. We are so relieved to be back safe and sound.”

Alistair and Chris’s boat Linda, named after Chris’s mother who died six years ago, received an official placing, even after requiring outside assistance. Although they failed to actually reach the island under their own steam, they did row the whole width of the Atlantic and finished in 22nd place of the Ward Evans Atlantic Rowing Race, recognised as the toughest rowing event in the world.
Race co-ordinator Tony Humphreys said: “They were dreadfully unlucky to hit the worse weather conditions the event has seen. All the competitors are heroes, but Alistair and Chris had one hell of a ride.

“All the sea-faring people around here are always looking for an adventure and now these two guys have really given the rescue crews one to remember.”

Now Alistair and Chris have decided to put their feet up for a well earned rest. Alistair said: “It was unbelievably tough but looking back it was the experience of a lifetime. Some of the moments, however, were the worst in my life, but the friendships we made with the other racers was wonderful.”

Final words from Chris — “Anyone want to buy a second hand boat? Two careful owners and only 3,000 miles on the clock. Slight attention to bodywork required.”