Traditional Currach Galway Bay crossing launches transatlantic 2022 ambition
One of the World’s foremost extreme adventurers and former professional rugby player Damian Browne from Renmore, along with lifelong friend Athenry’s Fergus Farrell are embarking on a journey that will take them across the Atlantic in 2022. In an unsupported row across the Atlantic, that will see them take on 4,937 km across some of the wildest, most unforgiving ocean on the planet. Project Empower was officially launched yesterday in Galway.
Project Empower saw the two men rowing in a traditional Currach from Inis Oirr to Galway city to launch their 24-month studied endeavour in human empowerment. Project Empower is Learning Through Doing, Doing Through Living and Living Through Sharing. On Tuesday morning the 29th of September we set off to row a traditional currach from the smallest Aran Island, Inish Oirr, 25 miles to Galway city to launch Project EMPOWER’s crowdfunding campaign.
This traditional voyage symbolises what will be the last, triumphant leg of their Atlantic crossing in 2022, while promoting and respecting the seafaring heritage of Irish coastal communities.
Damian and Fergus’ ambition is to set a new Guinness world record upon rowing into their hometown of Galway, and leave a lasting legacy that will be felt, not only on the streets they grew up on, but around the country of Ireland and in every corner of the globe they reach.
Damian and Fergus’ ocean rowing boat will be built by master boat builder Justin Adkin of Seasabre. Justin and Damian already have history, with Justin building Damian’s boat Darien for his 2017 solo trans-Atlantic row. All Seasbre boats are designed and built alongside the expertise and experience of renowned ocean rowing boat designer Phil Morrison. Project Empower have commissioned Justin to build a bespoke ORB design, which will proudly be a classic design shape, sticking closely to traditional values of ocean rowing.
Mr George Harboe and Frank Samuelsen were the first people to row successfully across the Atlantic from New York to The Scilly Isles in 1896, in an incredible 55 days and 13 hours. 124 years later their record still stands after 11 pairs have attempted to better it, but failed. In fact, only 6 of those 11 boats completed their crossings.
In total there have been 52 previous attempted crossings by way of unsupported row, with 18 successfully making land in some part of Europe, showing the immense difficulty of the undertaking. With respect and admiration for all those who have gone before them, especially the historic oceanrow of Harboe and Samuelsen, where they had no water makers or sat. phones, GPS, EPIRBs or even a lift raft on board.
Project Empower Crowdfunding Options will open on October 6th. To find out more or to be a supporter of Project Empower check out http://www.projectempower.ie/ and follow the journey across social platforms on Facebook and Instagram at Project Empower.
