Loneliness of the long-distance rower

ROWING:SEÁN McGOWAN, 52 days into his attempt to cross the Atlantic, yesterday spoke of the pain of being away from his family.

“You get very low,” he said when asked about how his spirits were.

“You’re out here, you’re on your own with no one to talk to. When something is going on (or) going on in your mind, you can’t pick up the phone and talk to people. You get very low, it’s very hard.

“The thing I do is tell myself: ‘get out and do your hour-and-a-half (rowing)’. (But) I find it it very difficult. For a married man with four kids it’s terribly difficult.”

His son, Daniel, turns 13 today, and missing his children’s birthdays is heart-wrenching.

“That’s playing on my mind hugely.”

The messages being posted on his Facebook site, which are relayed to him by phone by his wife, Lorraine, sustain him.

“I got one from a soldier. He said he admired the bravery. He said, ‘Keep your heart up and your head down’. It’s something I’ve latched on to.”

He knows some people will be critical of the entire endeavour, but McGowan’s attitude comes down to: “I’m going to finish this and feck the begrudgers.”

Does he have moments where he wishes he had never taken on the challenge?

“Yes. A lot.”

Doubts come in their darkest shades when he is in danger. But when he returns to the original decision, he knows he was right.

“I would never have been happy if I hadn’t done it. It was a challenge I had. I was going to walk away from it or rise to it. I was never going to walk away.”

He has made good progress in recent days, having battled to get to below 19 degrees latitude, but as he spoke yesterday of being “becalmed” as the weather changed again, and he expects westerly winds will halt his progress for a day or two.

It will give him a chance to work on his boat, Tess, and treat his blisters and sore hands, which still pain him but no longer have to be strapped to the oars.

He estimates he will make it to Antigua in 60 to 70 days.

He is the last boat in the race, not far behind Englishman James Ketchell in Speedo, but for McGowan it is all about finishing.

“If I finish, I’ll be the first (solo) Irishman ever to do it. I’m not thinking of where I’ll finish in the race.”

Back in Ireland, rowers are spoiled for choice this weekend. The Cork Head of the River at the marina in the city has been boosted beyond the now standard regional event by a strong entry from Commercial. The Dublin club has entered two senior men’s fours and a senior eight, with the opposition coming from Shandon and Cork Boat Club.

In Belfast, the Lagan Scullers’ Head tomorrow has an interesting entry in the form of Rory O’Connor of IT Tralee, who is set to defend the men’s senior singles title. The women’s line-up includes Laura D’Urso, Rachel Beringer and Joanne Moran of Offaly.

On the international front, there is news of two men who represented Ireland in Beijing in 2008. Richard Coakley of Skibbereen has confirmed that he is taking a break from the international scene. He has found it impossible to combine the necessary level of training with his job with Dolmen Stockbrokers.

Seán O’Neill, meanwhile, has won a place at the New Zealand national trials, which begin tomorrow. O’Neill (29), is from Limerick, but took up rowing in New Zealand after moving there as a teenager to play rugby.

He has joint citizenship and trialled unsuccessfully for New Zealand in 2006, before moving back to Ireland to join coach Harald Jahrling’s system. He nailed down a place in the Ireland heavyweight four which finished 10th in Beijing.

O’Neill returned to New Zealand after the Olympics and pledged to find a place in the New Zealand team. Last weekend he was part of a coxed four which won gold at the national championships on Lake Karapiro. He also took two bronze medals, in the premier eight and premier coxless four.