Ocean Rowing Ailments by Woodvale May 14, 2009

Ocean Rowing Ailments
14 May 2009 15:08 BST

After almost four weeks at sea, all competitors taking part in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race are beginning to suffer from a range of ailments all to common to an Ocean Rower. These include:

- Salt sores

- Blisters on hands and feet

- Claw hands

- General aches and pains in the back, arms and legs

- Weight loss

- Sleep deprivation

Rowing an ocean has never been glamorous but an extensive mandatory medical kit onboard each of the competing boats ensures that teams can treat these all to common medical problems themselves. For more severer medical matters, teams can ring for advice from the race appointed medic or if necessary, they can contact the race support vessel to request a medical evacuation.

Although they sound and look pretty horrendous, these common ocean rowing medical problems are not permanent and a good douse of TLC once back on dry land soon put rowers back on the road to recovery.

Despite the lack of marine wildlife reported by some of the crews during this first half of the race, solo rower Simon Prior onboard Boat No. 3 ’Old Mutual Endurance’ was visited by a friend yesterday of the scaly variety. A flying fish dropped into Simon’s boat after hitting him square on in the middle of his forehead. This could well be the first of many flying fish experiences - not all of them so welcome!

As we come to the end of the fourth week at sea, four of the seven boats have now crossed the 1000nm mark and race leaders, Boat No. 13 ‘Pura Vida’ are now fast approaching the half way mark, which they are likely to reach towards the end of next week. The eight man speed crew onboard Boat No. 88, Aud Eamus continue to eat up the miles and are now breathing down the necks of the guys onboard Boat No. 5 ‘Rowing for Prostate’.

With the half way mark looming, family and friends back home will now start to think of travelling out to Mauritius to greet their loved ones home safely. Woodvale Challenge has been working with local travel company, Connections to put together a range of competitive accommodation packages for rowers, their family and friends in Mauritius. For further information about the packages available, please contact Connections direct via their website at www.connections.mu/booknow.php.