Thanks to you all for your good wishes

Just a few lines to say how pleased I am to be back and be able to read all of your messages that were left on the WoodVale site during my recent Atlantic Ocean rowing trip. I am pleased to report that I enjoyed the experience although I would not be rushing to do it again with such a large crew. The differences of intentions of some of the rowers was only evident after some days at sea. Most of us were out to break a record, but at least four people were there to make an Ocean crossing and not interested in making the record come true.
That being said, we all realised that the boat could not reach the speeds needed to break the record anyway! For some reason or other, the boat did not go much faster than 7 knots at the very best! Much of the time we could only manage 3 knots. Only at the end did we manage to get her going flat out. That was mainly because of the trade winds and currents kicking in.

Back now with full time concentration on the London to Paris to London rowing Challenges. Our plans for the recce trip during June are pressing ahead in spite of my temporary absence, and I must express my thanks to the Rievers 12 crew for their constant understanding during my time away. I appreciate there have been times when communications were impossible and now I am back at the helm, my eye will be firmly on the ball!

I will try to thank all those of you that sent personal messages to me once I have finished reading them all.

Best wishes,
Roger G.
Atlantic Rower 1997 & 2011.

Postponement of Presentation 6th March 2011

ANNOUNCEMENT OF POSTPONEMENT OF PRESENTATION 6TH MARCH 2011



Roger's delay in starting his Atlantic Challenge has meant that he will be unable to attend, we have been anticipating his efforts and hoping that he will be back in time to make his presentation. For those of you tracking his progress it has become increasingly apparent he will not even be on dry land at the time of the event on 6th March.



Due to a high demand in SW England through Cornish Gig Clubs it has been decided that we will run a presentation in a more convenient location for the Gig Clubs. Falmouth Maritime Museum has been mentioned to us. The date and location of which is still to be announced and will wait upon Roger's return.



Taking these things into consideration I have taken the hard decision to postpone this event.

I apologise if this delay causes any problems but assure you that a future date will be set and we will update this site with the details when they are formalised.

Chris Gould
(On behalf of Roger somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on a small boat)

Further progess for us all

Roger, now on his way and is making such progress westward across the Atlantic. Battling following seas of up to 3 metres high. Communications have been made between the boat and shore side and whilst everyone is sending messages to loved ones Roger has said....."Are we nearly there yet?"

Uncanny as this may seem, I bet if he has started this chanting, this far into the journey (3days) after another 30, the rest of the crew must be thinking about launching the Life raft and casting him adrift!

Whilst Roger battles the sun and heat, the London 2 Paris team are bounding on with preparations for the recce in May. This morning saw another trial with the Reivers 12 team using the Gig "Tiger" at one of the warmest places in England, Gravesend.

Whilst rowing in 30 degrees in the Mid-Atlantic was in the back our minds, we battled 35 knot winds and temperatures of around 5 centigrade. Mind, we should be comforted by the fact that we stepped back into the warm only 2 hours later and had some real coffee from McDonald's. All of which are not available to the guys who are quite frankly risking all for the World Record. Roger, we are all thinking of you and wish you the best for the rest of the crossing.

Everyone has their own reason for doing such a challenge. Some for charity, some for personal achievements, some for the experience, some for the rush of adrenaline. It is hard to understand why anyone would want to do such foolish challenges but what I can say is that what ever your reason you have to take part to know why.

Last year the Gravesend L2P team raised nearly £90,000 for charity. Proceedings went to a local Charity, the Lions Hospice. My grandfather was a resident in the Lions Hospice during L2P 2010 and was slowly loosing his fight with cancer. He was proud to say to the other residents that his new boat the "Sea Echo" was following the challenge and providing much needed support. Leslie, fought his battle until the challenge was over and we had all returned safely back to England. We all visited the hospice to let him know of our amazing experience. It wasn't that much longer after that Leslie passed away.

It was my Grandfather that got me into rowing and whilst I starting to train for one of the oldest rowing races in the world, The Doggett's coat and badge, I never took part. I could almost say that I am disappointed that I lost out of this chance, which is only open to Thames Apprentice Watermen. I can only say that organising the London 2 Paris challenge has inspired me to look at rowing in a different light and I am now organising such a race with my grandfather looking over me. Maybe one day I will take a row boat over this course and of course in aid of him.

What is your reason?

We landed at Denton Wharf, Gravesend, where the "Tiger" was lifted from the river and placed onto her new trailer. Purpose built for the London 2 Paris challenge, the single bunk roller trailer has the ability to transport "Tiger" anywhere in the country. Teams can now have more flexibility in their training areas. Over the next week, Tiger will be having some remedial work carried out and then transported to the Reivers 12 training grounds.

The Trailer built by De Graff trailers who are renown bespoke builders of trailers. They have actively built trailers for many of Britain's Olympic rowing teams. We have used their expertise to build us a trailer that will in future be able to double bunk a second Gig when the time comes.

The "Tiger" will be making an appearance in Kingston on the 6th March 2011 for the presentation event. Anyone wishing to Trial the Gig before entering the event is more than welcome to attend the meeting, all we ask is that you make us aware that you will be there.

Further developments with the challenge have been slow however nonetheless challenges for cross channel events are still progressing.

Don't forget that we cater for more than just London to Paris attempts. Plans are also afoot from other UK ports to France and, of course, the typical Dover-Calais attempt. If you have an idea and wish to talk to us about a challenge we can offer you safety, support and expertise.

Richard Bain

L2P2L Safety and Support

richard@thamesworkboats.com

Our start date is soon...

AnyOne who can read a weather chart for our area of the world will see that this coming weekend shows unprecedented good weather over a really wide area of the Atlantic Ocean. We have been waiting in the Canaries for three weeks for a change in the weather, hoping for a slight change.
This weekend is THAT period, and the change is not slight. It is HUGE!
The trade winds that usually kick in at around 14' 45" North and are 200 miles wide, are spread out over a 3000 mile wide band from the Canaries to their normal southern limits. Sailors here are saying they have NEVER seen them so wide and so strong. Predictions are for 20 - 25 knot following winds and 3 meter seas all the way across. We may not need to deviate south at all to pick up those trades.
Our spirits are from zero to hero in one step! Apparently, this high pressure system is SO strong that the sailing fraternity are placing an over 85% certainty on it remaining there for our entire crossing! That is phenomenal!
Let's hope we don't get up too much speed and start surfing too hard! The only danger will be that of pitchpoling down big seas. (For the uninitiated, this happens when a boat runs head-long down a big wave and goes beyond 90' from the vertical, and it rolls end over end).

Here's hoping!

Thanks to Richard for stepping in to the control of London to Paris to London while I am away "enjoying myself"!

Regards,
Roger G

Rogers Atlantic Row

Three London rowers are about to embark on a challenge from Gran Canaria to Barbarbados. To beat the record they need to complete the crossing in under 33 days.

If you check out http://www.itv.com/london/rowing-record92308/ and you might see someone you will recognise.

I will try to keep you all updated on Rogers progress while he crosses the Atlantic but I am limited to the information from the www.woodvale-works.com so keep checking it out and hope they cross swiftly and safely.




The London2Paris2London Challenge is, of course, still pushing on in Rogers Absence. We are awaiting the first trial oar for the Gig before we puch on and get the rest made.

We have had a few more people come forward to register interest in the challenge but may I remind you all that your first payment confirms your place in one of our Coded Pilots Gigs. You may attend our Presentation on the 6th March 2011 at the Royal Twickenham Canoe Club but again please get your names on the list of attendees.

If you wish to register your interest, please email Roger as soon as possible. Your email will be picked up by the office. rogergould13@gmail.com


Thames Workboats, (the company suppling the challenge with safety boat and support during the event) have now taken ownership of a 7 metre Rib. The vessel is coded for 11 passengers and will be providing you with that reassurance that you need should anyone find themselves in the water. The vessel was chosen for its ability to carry passengers, reach a speed of 40knots quietly and low emmissions from it's reknown engine.

If you would like to see the vessels Thames Workboats own and supply for the challenge take a look on www.thamesworkboats.com

For now

Richard Bain
L2P2L Safety and Support
07890 886369
richard@thamesworkboats.com

We're here - and still waiting to go!

We arrived in time last week and have been held up with paperwork and poor weather. There is another large crew that set off the other day without providing any paperwork or getting permission from the authorities out here. This has created a real poor attitude toward all Ocean Rowers by the local government officials. Although we have provided more paperwork and insurance than is asked for, we have been told that we MUST. Have a support boat for our crossing. Now whe do you find one of those at this late hour. Never before has an independent rowing boat been asked for this level of cover. However, if we leave from Gran Canaria we need no such documentation or support boat! How crazy is that?
Our start is now set for this coming weekend instead of today - and it will be from Gran Canaria instead of La Gomera. That means packing up all of our belongings and our boat / equipment and transporting it all over to that island. No mean feat. So when some of the future London to Paris to London Challengers tell me they are being messed around with arrangements, I'll have a little chuckle to myself and think. 'You don't know what being messed about is yet'! I will understand however the frustration felt when you pay for something that doesn't always the precise way you expected it to. I am still making adjustments in my every day life that allow for things happening in a different way than I expect. It helps to keep a sense of humour.

We have some members of our crew that are to date 'fine boat rowers'. It showed tonight when we had our first row together as a crew at sea - in the dark. One particular member was SO STRESSED by others inability to keep time in rough conditions that they shouted instructions in such a vicious way that I laughted out loud! That person won't be very annoying after 30 days at sea... I feel a swift punch in the kidneys coming on...I am sure they will mellow once the reality of being at sea sets in. Things are not as simple out there as keeping time, and not catching a crab, or correct recovery done at a set time. Good times ahead.

Our project progresses nicely too for the London to Paris to London row in 2012. We now have our recce crew ready for their row in June 2011. The coding for e Cornish gigs is going well too and we hope the MCA will get back to us really soon wi their observations on Richard's hard work.

Wish us luck - and follow us on www.woodvale-works.com There is a tracker on our boat that will give out our positions as we move.

Happy New Year and so long for a while!

As the title suggests, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and to sign off for a while as I set off for La Gomera to go for a paddle on the mighty Atlantic Ocean...
I set out from Gatwick on Monday morning at VERY early o'clock and then, after a week or so of familiarisation on the boat and weather permitting, we'll set ofF on January 12th for Barbados.

Richard Bain will take over the technical side of enquiries and my wife Christina, will handle all other enquiries from the office until I get back. Email for Richard is richard@thamesworkboats.com Just send your emails to me as usual at rogergould@btconnect.com
You will get an out of office reply, but your emails will be read and any actions needed will be taken straight away.

Wish me luck. Be back soon!

Roger G