I got to see my first ocean rowing boat in person!

You might be wondering if it scared me...but it just made me more excited!

Every time I talk to someone for the podcast, or meet an ocean rower (this was the first one I met in person), I get more and more excited! And I think...I can do this...I WILL do this!

I got to meet Bryant Knight from Fight Oar Die, who rowed in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge (TWAC) 2018. He is doing amazing things! He has a huge vision and plans on having a team row this boat, and more in the TWAC every year. He already has an all women's boat and a guys boat scheduled over the next two years! The mission is simple...row together...fight for change! The boat is made of all veterans, and last year was their first year as an all veteran team to cross the Atlantic.

Fight Oar Die wants to let Veterans know that "despite anything that has happened in their lives - Veterans can grow, develop, excel, and achieve ANYTHING they want." - Fight Oar Die

I got to ask Bryant lots of questions over the two hour period I helped him clean equipment. He was kind enough to let me walk around and in his boat as well as just see everything. I know that next time I see a boat I will be more curious and look around more, but just climbing into the cabin was pretty cool. It's pretty hot in there, and it was a cooler day, so I can only imagine what the heat is like in the middle of the Atlantic in December. I have to say...out of everything that I could encounter, the heat is what scares me the most...shocking...I know!

Stay tuned and tomorrow I will share why I am most scared of the heat!

Here are some pictures from when I got to see the boat the other day. More stories to come in the near future I hope.

Thank you Bryant for the amazing experience and being willing to put up with me for a couple of hours. I hope I did okay cleaning the lines!

Guess what! I can build my boat!

So, at first, I couldn't figure out if I could even make a boat. Than someone reached out to me and he knew someone who offers the kits to make my own boat. That was super exciting. So I reached out to the person, Phil Morrison, and he responded with some different options. Not going to lie, they are all over my head and I am having trouble figuring out some of the differences, but I know it is possible!

Then, that same person who informed me about Phil, pointed out someone who is currently building his boat for an ocean rowing adventure of his own. So, I got in touch with him too. He is just now putting it together! I had someone else reach out as well that mentioned TWAC, Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, the competition I probably will do, may not allow me to build my boat.

So, of course, I emailed Atlantic Campaigns, who runs the TWAC event, and I was basically told it is possible. There are certain things put in place and things I will need to do to make sure it is sea-worthy and passes inspections, but I CAN build my own boat! I am stoked!

YAY!