This is so much more than a book about rowing – it is about the adventure of life and love and the challenge of commitment.
When Debra Searle and her former husband Andrew Veal entered the 3,000 mile Atlantic Rowing Race they believed that their profound knowledge of each other would give them the edge over the other – mainly male – competitors. Yet during their first night in open waters they were confronted with a discovery that would leave their Atlantic bid in tatters: Andrew, an experienced rower, was suffering from an uncontrollable fear of the ocean. Try as they might to overcome this, by day eight Andrew’s distress had become unbearable for both of them. After a night of soul-searching, Andrew resolutely decided to give up.
As a novice rower, Debra should have bowed out of the race with her husband and team-mate, but she was relishing the journey and wanted to see how far she could go as a solo-rower. Word of Debra’s adventure led to international press coverage and in recent years the Movie Rights have been sold to a Hollywood Producer. Against all the odds, after 111 days, Debra completed the 3,375 mile voyage and landed in Barbados.
Rowing it Alone is Debra’s deeply personal account of her epic adventure – both in terms of distance and emotional growth. She explores her motivation and the reserves of solid determination that literally kept her afloat in the face of physical dangers and emotional lows. She shares her moments of sheer peace and happiness, away from the bustle of modern living. Debra’s honesty and warm personality shine through in this inspiring story.
N.B The hardback and paperback version of this book, originally published by Chrysalis Books, is now out of print.
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