Rowers raising funds for charity stop in Northern Ireland to shelter from storm
One of the crew said the conditions are beyond tough and that at one point, he had a distress flare in his hand ‘ready to go’.
A team of rowers who are raising money for charity have had to make an unscheduled shop in Northern Ireland to take shelter from “extremely” stormy weather.
The ROW4MND crew are aiming to raise millions of pounds towards a cure for motor neurone disease (MND).
The foursome – former Royal Marines Aaron Kneebone, Gareth Timmins, Mike Bates, and entrepreneur Matt Parker – set off from Wales at the weekend and are rowing 24 hours a day in cold, dark and harsh conditions across the Irish Sea towards Scotland.
In the early hours of Tuesday, the crew had to make an unscheduled stop in the fishing village of Portavogie, in Co Down, to take shelter from an incoming storm.
They successfully berthed at 3am, having been at sea since 9am on Saturday.
They had expected it to take 10 days to reach the Western Isles; the unscheduled stop will now delay their journey.
Co-founder of ROW4MND Mr Bates said: “When you’re in a five-metre rowing boat in the pitch black, with a storm incoming, there is zero margin for error.
“The safety of our four crew members is paramount, and we need to be adaptable to change.
“At one point, I was sat on deck with a distress flare in my hand, ready to go. For anyone who is in any doubt how tough this challenge is, it is beyond tough.”
His fellow co-founder Mr Parker added: “When we signed up for this, we knew it’d be tough.
“So far we’ve had to contend with rough seas, mental and physical fatigue, and even an errant MP. But with every setback we face, we have to refocus on why we’re doing this.
“Over a lifetime, one in 300 people will be affected by MND. This is a cruel illness with no cure, and we want to change that.
“There is no ‘plan B’ for people facing MND, and this challenge shows just how important it is to have a fallback option.”
Mr Bates said: “While it’s frustrating for all of us to be ashore, I couldn’t be prouder of the shift the crew have put in so far.
“It’s extremely stormy out there, which is why we’re working with experienced people so that we get back on track as soon as it’s safe. Thanks to everybody so far for their support, every donation makes a massive difference.”
The crew is to wait ashore in Northern Ireland for the weather to settle before continuing their journey.
They aim to raise £57 million over four challenges between now and 2028, culminating in a transatlantic row between New York and London.
The money raised will be used to further research and treatment for MND, with the ultimate aim of finding a cure.
