Mavericks make waves across the Atlantic
A team taking part in an Atlantic rowing challenge - with two Shropshire members - has completed the first week of its marathon adventure.
The Atlantic Mavericks four strong team includes Ian Davies from Oswestry and Roy Dixon from Shrewsbury, along with Ian Duncan, from Devon, and Richard “Tiny” Baker, from Somerset.
The friends, all in their 50s, are in the middle of the pack in the race, which is expected to take two months to complete the gruelling, 3,000 miles from La Gomera, in the Canaries, to Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean.
They have said their aim is not to win the race, rather to complete is still as friends.
After a week on boat their eight-metre craft, food is high on the priorities of the rowers.
In an update posted on the Mavericks' social media, Mr Dixon, said it had been a great first week.
“Last night was a great night’s rowing and averaged above three knots," he said.
He explained about the foil packed meals that were keeping the four men going.
"We had yet another vegetarian meal - potatoes and beans; I just wonder how the Army marches on its stomach these days.
"The technique is the team going off shift, usually Tiny or Ian Davies fire up the JetBoil and heat up four of the the foil packed meals. If you are rowing your foil bag is stuffed in your flask with some hot water. You eat your meal when ready, use the remaining water for breakfast muesli, a brew or a wash."
The boat is very much on course to complete the challenge in the time expected, about 55 days.
"We are now following just south of our optimum course, which is a pretty good effort at the end of week one," Mr Dixon said.
"It is hard to believe how the time is racing along - the night shifts can drag, but days are being ticked off, so we are getting closer."
