18/08/2026
Why does a blind person think he can row the Atlantic?
I avoid talking about my eyesight, but the questions people ask have prompted me to write this post.
I’m Adam. I’m 54 and I love a challenge. I’m fit. I’m okay at rowing. I’m a good problem solver. And I’m resilient. So why shouldn’t I do it?
In my case, being blind means I can see what’s in front of my face, but I can’t see what’s across the road.
So how will my sight affect me on our boat? And how will that affect Si, Maddie and Rich?
Firstly, to the mechanics of rowing. I’m good here. Rowing is as much about feel as it is about sight. Feel the connection with the water, then drive.
Half of our rowing will be done at night. Seeing the waves will be a challenge for all of us. Being partially sighted might be an advantage as I’ll be used to rowing by feel.
In daylight I won't see a wave as early as the others, but I’ll see it early enough. The rowing will be fine.
Moving on to general boat jobs. I’m okay with the navigating so I can help with that. But I can’t see our compass and readouts from my rowing seat. Some teamwork will be needed there, but that's no hassle.
Will I see ships heading towards us as quickly as the others? No, but our AIS will be screaming at us before any of us see the ship, so all’s good there.
To the DIY on the boat, I’ll be useless. Put that down to my eyesight if you like, but I put it down to being crap at DIY. The crew know this, and we’ve got plans in place.
Boat life will have its challenges. Whilst the other rowers will use a jetboil to heat their food, a half-blind man, bumpy boat and boiling water don’t go together, so I’ll live on cold rations for 50 days. Cold beef and dumplings - yum.
Physically getting around the boat will be alright. We’ll always be clipped on via a 3-point harness to the jackstay. I'll be fine with that.
The biggest issue is how I do my bit if Si, Maddie or Rich goes overboard. There’s more chance of me winning World’s Strongest Man than seeing a rower in rough seas in the dark.
So I will be making sure we all strap on as soon as we come out of the cabin, so that it’s impossible for any of us to go overboard.
To be clear, we will all be wearing PLBs, and we’ve all incorporated our harness into our life jacket too – something that most crews don’t do.
In short, my experience of rowing the Atlantic will be an experience that’s unique to me and to this fine crew. But isn’t everyone’s experience of this adventure unique? That’s part of what makes it worth doing!
