Team Seasoar are powering towards Antigua! With under 300 nautical miles left to go, it won’t be too long before they complete The World’s Toughest Row! What a journey it’s been!
Over the last week very strong winds pushed south and without a daggerboard the guys struggled to keep the boat on course. However, whilst Storm Eowyn caused havoc in the UK, it’s had a positive effect for our teams in the tropics! Essentially sucking the energy out of the north Atlantic it’s left near perfect trade winds for the remaining fleet as they approach Antigua! Fortunately now Team Seasoar are making great speed and heading directly west as planned!
Track Team Seasoar
Based on a great weather forecast and the excitement of approaching land fuelling them on, we currently expect Team Seasoar’s arrival to be the afternoon of 1st February. However this is likely subject to change so don’t forget to keep tracking the team and stay glued to their social media updates!
You will be able to watch the live stream of the team arriving in Antigua on the World’s Toughest Row YouTube channel.
English Harbour, Antigua (Credit: Shark Bait Socials)
Final days of the World’s Toughest Row!
Now in the final stage of the race Team Seasoar will be mentally shifting gears as they forge ahead. They’ll be preparing to reunite with loved ones, turning their attention increasingly to life back in the UK. The weeks spent in this race will have undoubtedly been a transformational time. They’ve faced and defeated tough challenges together as a team, lived amazing memories they’ll never forget, and likely spent hours reflecting on everything under the sun! Having learnt so many lessons, they’ll have dug deep to nurture a resilience that will support them for the rest of their lives.
The whole team will also have focussed on the importance of various relationships as they’ve missed family, friends and colleagues at home. They are so grateful to everyone who has helped to make this journey a success.
This week John chose to pay tribute on social media to more of the people he values in his world. He thanked long-term friend Russell Lord for his ongoing support and also three amazing women who have helped him prepare for the race. Karen, his sports massage therapist, apparently has the hands of a witch doctor! His counsellor, Andrea, has been of huge value not only to John personally but also to the whole family. Lastly, yoga instructor, Amy, has helped to prepare mind, body and spirit ahead of the race. What an invaluable team!
(Credit: The World’s Toughest Row)
Ongoing struggle for many Lyme patients
Although the end is in sight for Team Seasoar, many Lyme patients that didn’t receive enough early treatment will continue to battle their own life-changing journeys. Often with no concrete idea when or if they might regain full health.
Aside from issues navigating symptoms, without ongoing appropriate medical care, their lives can be affected in so many ways as months of ill health turn into years. Depending on when they become sick, some struggle to hit milestones such as completing education, getting and sustaining work or forging careers. It can be difficult to live independently, hard to sustain relationships and dreams of starting a family can prove too far out of reach. Often left way behind in comparison to their peers, these ‘Lyme warriors‘ have to cope with huge challenges. Those affected later on in their lives can struggle to support their own families or keep up with other responsibilities.
Next steps
Patients with Lyme disease and coinfections desperately need:
- improved medical awareness;
- more reliable testing;
- swifter diagnosis;
- improved treatment options;
- treatment protocols tailored for late-stage cases; and
- more research into the disease.
Show your support
- Sponsor Team Seasoar via their website at £20/mile to help support Lyme Disease UK and our future plans to fund meaningful research into the disease.
- Track Team Seasoar and follow and share their adventures at sea via their social media accounts.
(Team Seasoar’s Just Giving page recently expired so a new page is now in place. This may show a different total to before but please be reassured that all donations pledged so far are still valid.)