Topsham rower's fundraising challenge delayed
THE START of a Topsham rower s attempt to travel 13,000 miles across the pacific and Atlantic oceans has once again been delayed due to bad weather. Dave Brooks had hoped to start his epic journey from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on two previous occas
THE START of a Topsham rower's attempt to travel 13,000 miles across the pacific and Atlantic oceans has once again been delayed due to bad weather.
Dave Brooks had hoped to start his epic journey from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on two previous occasions last month - only to be delayed by horrendous weather which included a hurricane hitting the area.
The 23-year-old, for the first leg of his journey, will set sail as part of the Woodvale Atlantic Race. He plans to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, Guide Dogs and Sidmouth Lifeboat.
After a long wait, it is expected Dave will be able to start the race this week.
He said: "The winds are now in our favour. There is a few days lag between wind direction and wave direction - hence the waiting.
"We are waiting for the high pressure to re-establish before we leave. This is a demand by the port authorities essentially, as we cannot leave in present conditions.
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"It has given me a bit of time to tweak the boat; anchor up out to sea to clean the bottom, as one month in harbour has left a slick film of sludge under the old girl."
Dave, for the first leg of the trip, will row towards Antigua.
He will then leave his boat and return to Britain. He will go back to Antigua next October for the final leg of his journey, where he will row to Panama, through the canal, and across to Australia.
