In 2005, Rosalind Savage entered the most grueling rowing competition on earth, the “Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge: The World’s Toughest Row.”
Each individual or team signed up to physically row across the Atlantic Ocean.
Two or four person teams crewed the other rowboats. Roz was one of only two solo rowers and the only woman rowing alone.
The journey was grueling.
But Roz went on to be the first woman to row solo across three oceans: the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific.
The Night That Started Her Journey
Dissatisfied with her management consultant job in London, Roz sat down one night and wrote two personal obituaries. The first was exciting, full of unexpected challenges and life-changing adventure. The other obituary reflected how her present dull, unsatisfactory existence would eventually end.
With that simple exercise, Roz discovered the life she lived wasn’t the one she wanted. So she completely changed course.
A few years later, she decided to row across the Atlantic Ocean.
Roz talks about deciding to take on this unique challenge.
Ocean Rowboat Design
After Roz Savage decided to enter the Atlantic Rowing Race, she had to buy and outfit an ocean rowboat with all the equipment and provisions needed to survive on the open ocean for months. To successfully complete the race, the rowers had to be totally self-sufficient. If a crew received outside help, even a beer, their boat would be disqualified.
The rules also forbid any jury-rigged sails or motors. Each rowboat needed to cross the ocean powered only by human muscle, with an occasional assist from favorable currents or winds.
The race organizers required the crews to install navigation equipment, satellite phones and an emergency signaling device. All the ocean rowboats generated electricity using solar panels. Another key piece of equipment on board? A desalinator, which would turn sea water into fresh drinking water. Everyone also had a small cook stove, a sea anchor and spare oars.
A short video showing Roz Savage rowing her high-tech ocean rowboat.
Safeguards
If a large wave turned the boat over, the ocean rowboats were designed to flip right-side up again. The race organizers required each team to carry several gallons of fresh water, which acted like ballast. If the desalinator broke, the crew would still have a supply of drinkable water. But if they tapped into their fresh water supply, the teams would receive a time penalty at the end of the race. Watertight hatches sealed the fore and aft cabins. Keeping them closed prevented seawater from flooding the rowboat. Everyone sat between these two cabins in the open air when rowing.
The Journey She Didn’t Expect
Rowing across the Atlantic Ocean turned out to be harsh and painful; Roz’s body hurt every day.
Wayward currents, rough seas and contrary winds repeatedly pushed her off course. Her tiny stove stopped working, ending all hope of hot meals, no matter how wet and cold she became. Discouraged and hating every minute, Roz understood one thing; there were only two ways to end the race. Acknowledge defeat and ask the support boat to pick her up, or row the entire 3000 miles, one stroke at a time.
So she kept rowing.
After 103 days on the open ocean, Roz Savage stepped onto dry land again, on the island of Antigua.
My Spiritual Point
Remember Roz writing her two obituaries? That simple exercise caused her to radically transform her life. Here’s my favorite quote from her book:
“My future was the accumulation of my todays—it was only by doing the right things, day after day, that I would create the future that I wanted.” (Rowing the Atlantic page 160)
This quote is true of me as well. Because what I choose to do today matters.
By my daily choices, I am actively creating my future—and so are you.
Jesus has called me to be a Christian writer. But I need to practice my craft, setting aside chunks of time to write daily. Even scarier? I need to risk rejection. If I don’t submit freelance articles and stories to professional editors, I’ll never develop any further. But first I have to write them.
More importantly, I need to deepen my personal relationship with Jesus.
I have other dreams too. For instance, I want to learn how to play the flute and also enjoy an active, healthy old age. All of these are good goals.
But my greatest dreams will fade away into nothingness, unless I put in the hard work and concentrated effort to make them come true.
We too have a race to finish.
Our Lifelong Endurance Race
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? (Galatians 5:7 NIV)
Paul’s rebuke written twenty centuries ago, still applies to modern day Christians.
What has hindered you from obeying God’s divine leading? Lack of knowledge? Fear? Laziness? A selfish nature? I’ve been guilty of all of these.
For too long, my rowboat has been drifting aimlessly on the open sea. I haven’t been rowing hard to fulfill the Holy Spirit’s plan for my life. But I’m starting to row with more purpose now. What about you?
Are you rowing strongly today or just drifting?
Pick up your oars. We each have a race to win.
I used the book’s cover displayed on Amazon. I hope Amazon.com appreciates the free publicity. The other images came from Pixabay.com. I added two of Roz’s videos inside my post so you would have an understanding of what a high-tech ocean rowboat is like.
Resources:
The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge has been under new management since 2012, and renamed World’s Toughest Row worldstoughestrow.com. They now feature a Pacific rowing race each year from Monterey, California to Hawaii in June. The annual Atlantic rowing competition starts in December.
Here’s a link to Roz Savage’s book, “Rowing the Atlantic.” On Amazon.com.
Enjoy these short videos, recorded during her maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
Solo woman rows the Atlantic: Part 1 (click here)
Rowing the Atlantic: Part 2 (click here)
Rowing the Atlantic Part 3 (click here)
Solo woman rows the Atlantic Part 4 (click here)
Roz Savage-ocean rower video. click here
