Cape to Rio Row: Notes from the Cabin

Sailing

Apr 3

We’ve been following record-breaking, convention defying South African adventurers Braam Malherbe and Wayne Robertson as they embark on their iconic Cape to Rio row all in the name of the inspiring DOT Challenge.

As they strive to call the world to “pull together” towards a more sustainable future under the banner of DOT - encouraging us to all Do One Thing and make small, low-cost, high impact sustainable changes to our lifestyles and habits– you can track each and every pull they make towards their goal on the revolutionary DOT app (available for free download on iOS and Android).

Braam and Wayne have been keeping us updated throughout the course of their journey on the challenges they’ve faced and lessons they’ve learnt as they progress steadily towards this world first feat. From extreme heat to boat-breaking storms, from dodging tankers over 20 times their size to the challenges of keeping adequately nourished and hydrated out on the open water as they row to Rio 21/7, their brief updates – shared on the DOT app - offer us an eye in to the truly monumental and unprecedented nature of their journey.

Having had to delay their launch countless times due to extreme weather and personal setbacks, team Mohondoro – meaning “young lion’s spirit” in Shona – finally embarked on the 7th of February. Once out of the safety of the harbour the first setbacks commenced as a sudden change in conditions and the ferocity of the heavy seas, the Cape’s notorious winds and weather, meant they had to row together, consistently, to avoid running ashore on Robben and Dassen Islands. Just one day in, by 21.30, they had both rowed non-stop for over 11 hours.

As Braam explains, they have experienced these heavy seas “in no small measure. That push - mighty and strong - from the deep cold of Antarctica. Cape Town is not called the ‘Cape of Storms’ for nothing”. Having experienced so much of it over their first month in the ocean, however, they have got their safety and emergency preparation routines fine-tuned, religiously checking all lashings on deck and life jackets to full Emergency Positioning Indicator Radio Beacon (EPIRB) protocol.

With huge swell, the sea frothing with white caps and peaks moving in different directions, the heavy rain, thunder and lightning cracking overheard in dark and swelling clouds over a black sea, it’s hard to imagine the might of the ocean and the earth that they must feel. They’ve also experienced more than one ‘white out’ – powerful electric storms – that force them to shut down all electrical systems from their navigational charts and lights to their Automatic Identification System (AIS) that alerts them to ships in their vicinity.

Even in these darkest of hours, though, they fight fear and fatigue – truly “indescribable at times…but worth it in the end” - with humour and reminders of why they are undergoing this most incredible expedition. As Braam recounts after one such terrifying and taxing night,

“How can I possibly know joy, happiness and wonder if that is all I’ve ever had? I would have no comparison and, in all likelihood, think that there was something better. We need the dark and the light, the hot and the cold, the great love and the pain of deep loss, the Ying and the Yang”.

As if the weather wasn’t enough of a worry their greatest fear before embarking – being hit by a tanker in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes – soon faced them head on as they had to take evasive actions to avoid fishing boats, ships and even 1000x200 foot tankers who hadn’t registered their compact vessel on their systems. A multitude of near misses and close escapes kept our intrepid adventurers on edge and alert throughout the first month of their journey with adrenaline and their noble cause the only faint respite for their fatigue.

They have specially designed ‘drogues’ which are essentially small parachute-like sea anchors designed to help slow them down and take control of their navigation and boat in times of emergency. Two of their ‘drogues’ have snapped and been lost – testifying to the power of the wind and waves – while they’ve had to work to fix navigation lights and equipment, and structural damage like bent poles from relentless storms. Aside from their wayward drogues, so far they’ve blown the circuit board of their AC/DC inverter, are minus one rowing seat, a spare dagger board and a plastic hand-held bilge pump, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the determination and grit that both of them continue to show.

Every time they reach certain milestones – like making it safely through a storm, or reaching a landmark point in their journey – they reward themselves with comfort food like jelly babies, pieces of chocolate and sour sweets, savouring all of the little delights.

Aside from the lack of sleep, extreme weather and daunting task, they truly are undergoing a gruelling physical feat. The blisters that they have to contend with – all over their bodies – have given new meaning to the phrase “no pain, no gain”, Braam jokes.

At Southern Charter we firmly believe that “how far you go depends on who goes with you” and despite Wayne’s late entry into this expedition, he and Braam are making a wonderful team as they show themselves to be strong companions and shipmates worthy of the Mohondoro name. They ensure to spend their 3 “together hours” a day preparing food, and taking the time to share meals and stories.

As they say,

“It is vital that we interact and get to know each other… I have learned the power of humour as well as the importance of open, honest communication. We have agreed to be absolutely transparent with each other and are becoming good friends.”

“Physically and mentally we are doing well and make a good effective team. A good sense of humour helps when things get rough and we both look out for each other all the time.”

Their shared sense of humour and comradery through the challenges that they faced is encapsulated perfectly by Wayne. An avid surfer, boat maker and seafaring man throughout his life, he ruefully muses that:

“Although I have had a long and close relationship with the sea for most of my life, it has come to my attention that I am still lacking in certain skills when trying to pee from a platform that is determined to derail your best efforts while bucking, pitching and rolling at the most inopportune moment… I haven’t mastered this skill yet but I will endeavour to improve with practice. 28 days at sea and I find this ocean stuff easy in comparison. Braam and I are always keen to give each other advice, you know… like aiming, posture, wind direction etc. I couldn’t do this without a good sense of humour, especially when it gets tough”.

Despite all of the immense hardships and setbacks that they have endured thus far, the ability to laugh at themselves, and find light and laughter in even the most mundane or dire, dark situations is surely something that they share.