A transatlantic rowing team hoping to smash four world records have less than 1,600km to go as they edge closer to completing their epic challenge.
The four-man crew from Dubai are on day 23 of their 27-day adventure, but it has not been a crossing free of drama.
More than a thousand dolphins provided an impressive sideshow as the team deployed a sea anchor for the first time last week to attend to urgent repairs to a damaged rudder.
Initial repairs proved ineffective, causing the Dh1.8 million rowing boat, named Year of Zayed, to steer erratically down the face of giant waves.
The team was forced to anchor again to replace the damaged rudder blade before they could continue on their way.
Despite those hold-ups – the Row4Ocean crew are on course to complete their 4,250km challenge within 27-days that would set a new world record for the fastest transatlantic crossing.
Progress of the four-man team of Britons Andrew Ruinoff, Matt Wilds and Lewis Knollman and Dutchman Patrick Bol is being recorded by Nick Leggatt, who is on board a trailing vessel.
“The current has started to turn in their favour and the course alteration means the team has a much more favourable angle to the waves,” he said.
“We have started to get a few squalls, nothing major but it is the first rain we have seen since leaving Dakar.
“It is signs of a change in the weather to come, and it looks favourable.
“We are still over 900 miles (1,448km) from the finish but we are already feeling the effect of the Guyana Current, which should help the team post good 24 hour runs.”
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