By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
A Bristol rower is preparing to undertake an unprecedented rowing route across the North Atlantic. Klara Anstey, 51, will join a crew of four in the 'London Calling' challenge, rowing 3,500 miles from Boston to London. This will be the first attempt at this specific route, which they plan to complete in 45 days.
While previous crews have rowed from New York to London, their skipper Bryan Fuller, from Boston, preferred to begin the journey in his hometown. The North Atlantic is known for its marine wildlife, but also presents challenges such as extreme temperatures, massive waves, and strong headwinds.
Ms. Anstey expressed her excitement, saying, "It will be the ultimate challenge, I've not done anything like this before." The team is set to depart on 1 June, aiming to reach London Bridge by mid-July. Ms. Anstey, who is financing her own participation, aims to raise £10,000 for London Youth Rowing (LYR) through her JustGiving page. Founded in 2004, LYR helps young people in London access rowing, a traditionally niche sport, and has recently expanded its Active Row programme to Bristol.
Despite only having five years of rowing experience, Ms. Anstey, a financial advisor, was eager to join the challenge after learning about the crew’s search for a fourth member through a Facebook post. She explained, “I jumped at the chance to apply for the seat with no hesitation whatsoever even though it's a lot more risky than the normal Talisker [UK to Caribbean] challenge."
Facing high winds, waves, extreme tiredness, and sea sickness, Ms. Anstey, originally from South Wales, will join Bryan Fuller, John Lowry, and Elizabeth Gilmore in a specially equipped rowing boat. Ms. Anstey, who has two sons, emphasized safety, stating, "I won't be taking any risks and will have my lifeline attached at all times."
The crew recently met in person for the first time during a 20-hour overnight row in Boston. They will row in shifts, with pairs alternating between rowing for up to four hours and resting, to maintain a 24-hour schedule. “It's a really tough schedule and doing that non-stop for 40 days is pretty rough,” Ms. Anstey noted. “You just have to be able to adapt.”
Having raised nearly £2,000 for LYR so far, Ms. Anstey looks forward to the experience of not seeing land for extended periods. "Some people dread it, and I think I read somewhere that the first thing you've got to be able to cope with is being able to row away and not see land and not panic," she said. "I just find the ocean very, very peaceful even with crashing waves."