July 23, 2010

THEY’VE DONE IT!!

By SeaGals

Huge congratulations to the SeaGals. At 10:24 this morning Belinda, Angela, Bev and Laura made it past the finish line under Tower Bridge. After 51 days, 16 hours and 42 minutes, their epic 2010mile row around GB has come to an end but forever recognised as the first women ever to undertake the toughest rowing challenge in the world.

Huge huge thanks to all our supporters, sponsors, friends and families.

Copyright onEdition 2010©
Copyright onEdition 2010©

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Posted in Blog from the boat | 7 Comments
July 24, 2010

In the press

By SeaGals

The Haigh Lyon SeaGals have been appearing in the media today following their return yesterday. Here are some of the articles we have found online. If you have seen any others or have a recording of news coverage on TV, please get in contact.

BBC: All-female crew ‘first women to row round Britain’

Belfast Telegraph: Seagals complete row around Britain

Virgin (Sir Richard Branson Blog): Go SeaGals!

Channel 4: Seagals complete row around Britain

Bristol Evening Post: Bristolian adventurer Belinda Kirk helps smash record

The SUN: Girl crew’s record Brit coast row

Sunday Sun: Seagals complete row around Britain

Kent Online: Kent rower’s all-Britain challenge comes to an end

Yahoo! Buzz: Row, Row, Row Your Boat — Around Great Britain

Press Association: Seagals complete row around Britain

Explorers Web: Girls around Britain: Setting a new record

NBC Sports: Women become 1st to row nonstop around Britain

CBS News: Grandma among 1st Women to Row around Britain

USA Today: Women become 1st to row nonstop around Britain

Bristol 24-7: Bristol TV producer rows into the record books

Kent News: Oarsome feat from triumphant round-UK women rowers

Wigan Today: Seagals complete row around Britain

Thaindian News: Female crew becomes first to row 2,000 miles around Britain’s coast

Daily India: Female crew becomes first to row 2,000 miles around Britain’s coast
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July 22, 2010

The Return to Tower Bridge

By SeaGals

The Seagals are on the last leg home… Despite what the tracker is showing, the Haigh Lyon Seagals have left Canvey Island behind and are making their way up the River Thames on the flood tide.

They hope to be at Woolwich by 6am to be interviewed live by GMTV on ITV 1 in the morning at around 06.40.

They are also booked to do interviews with radio stations as they continue up the river past the Thames barrier.

We expect the Seagals to reach Tower Bridge sometime around 10.00, when their unbelievable journey will finally end after an incredible 51 days.

More than seven weeks after the left London, the Seagals will be reunited with family and friends who will be at HMS President, situated just below the bridge, to help them celebrate their amazing achievement.

The Seagals truly deserve their place in the annals of rowing history for winning the Anglo American Boat Race: Virgin GB Row 2010 – officially the toughest rowing race in the world.

Posted in Blog from the boat | 1 Comment
July 21, 2010

Just 24hrs to go…

By SeaGals

At the start of their last full day at sea, the Haigh Lyon Seagals are at anchor about ten miles from Southend-on-Sea.

After managing to row five miles during the night, the all-female crew are waiting for the tide to turn to help them in the mouth of the River Thames to begin the final leg of their incredible 2,000-mile journey.

With electricity down to a minimum, following problems with the boat’s solar regulator, which converts power from the on-board solar panels into Go Commando’s battery packs, it has been difficult to communicate with the crew.

But we still expect Belinda, Angela, Laura and Bev to reach the finish line at Tower Bridge tomorrow morning at around 11.30.

Please show your support to the Haigh Lyon SeaGals and send in a small donation for Help for Heroes.

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July 20, 2010

Almost running on empty…

By SeaGals

The journey home continues for the Haigh Lyon Seagals. The all-female crew in their boat, Go Commando, rowed another 15 miles during the night and are now less than 10 miles north of Europe’s biggest container port at Felixstowe.

With light southerly winds forecast today they should stay on target for finishing at Tower Bridge in London at around 11.30 on Thursday.

Empty Battery Problems with the electrics have developed on Go Commando this morning, which means the Seagals have had to dramatically reduce their power output for the time being.

They are switching to a stand-by tracker, which will continue to monitor their progress.

The previous tracker is still showing the all-female crew are at anchor but they are in fact rowing past the mouth of the River Deben just north of Felixstowe.

Low batteries mean that communications with the boat could be limited this afternoon.

Angela is trying to sort out the problem with the solar regular, which means the power collected by the boat’s solar panels is not being transferred to the batteries.

Here’s a video of Belinda contacting the Thames Coastguard in preparation for the final leg into London on Thursday morning:
YouTube Preview Image

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July 19, 2010

The last 100miles

By SeaGals

So near yet so far…. The amazing Haigh Lyon Seagals are so tantalisingly close to the finish but the southerly wind is still causing problems for them.

The all-female crew of Go Commando are again at anchor, just south of Lowestoft, waiting for the southerly head wind to drop enough to let them continue rowing. They made well over 20miles during the night.

Meanwhile, thanks for your messages of support… keep them coming, folks! They give the Seagals such a boost at the end of their incredible 2,010-mile journey rowing around Britain.

YouTube Preview Image

Blog from Belinda from 14th July – Life on anchor.

1730 Finish look out shift on deck and climb back into the cabin. Everything I’m wearing is wet apart from the top two thirds of my thermal top and fleece.

Peel off the wet stuff to get three dry-ish hours in a sleeping bag. Cabin ceiling is dripping with condensation and all our gear is rattling with the vibrations

2015 woken by Angela shouting ’15 minutes’. Drag my legs out of my damp but wonderfully warm sleeping bag. Pull on cold damp leggings and socks, then dripping wet foulies and sodden wellies.

2030 ‘Time to change!’ bellowed outside. Sit on deck and get hit by waves sit on deck and get hit by waves …sit on deck… etc… Huddle over waterlogged stove. Takes 90 minutes to re-hydrate two meals, Bev and I eat them with a sprinkling of saltwater.

2330 Yeah! Go back inside, take off wet stuff, eat energy bar, have damp sleep

0215 Oh, no not again

0230 Sit on deck and get hit by waves etc etc try to tell Bev a rubbish joke but it’s lost in the noise of the wind. Hide in bivi bag

0400 the weather is still bad and the tide is turning. We are hit by some monster waves. Now we all need to be inside because the increased risk of capsizing.

Three of us cram into stern cabin for three hrs. Not comfortable but hilarious

YouTube Preview Image

0830 Here we go again… sit on deck and get hit by waves

1130 Back inside cabin play Russian roulette with the waves opening the cabin door when they don’t splash so I can brush my teeth.

1430 sit… deck… waves… etc

1500 Weather improving. Listen to “Viking radio station” chat to Bev about her cottage and Alaska. Make nice cup of tea.

1600 Seal pops his head up. Comes back three times. My Pentax camera won’t switch on – it’s supposed to be waterproof but this expedition has killed it. It feels like nothing is waterproof on thIs boat.

1630 The wind really has dropped… I put the water maker on and secure the filter that starts spraying everywhere when I turn it on.

We haven’t made water for two days because it’s been so rough. Good, one issue solved. This ocean rowing lark is so much easier when the weather behaves

Bev and Bel on deck
Bev and Bel on deck

1700 Do you fancy rowing, Bev?

1715 We pull up the anchor (after 48hrs!!!!) 1730 Row! Row! Row! Wow! Whoaaaah!!!! 5knots!!!!!

Cross the Humber amazing sunset – possibly best ever.

Keep on rowing… Happy days

Posted in Blog from the boat | 2 Comments
July 18, 2010

Happy Birthday to the Skipper

By SeaGals

Happy Birthday!

Mum found this old photo of us,thought it would make you laugh!
Can’t believe you are not back to celebrate your birthday we were really looking forward to seeing you. Hopefully the wind will not slow you down too much more and we will see you Monday.
I have been following the website and think you are doing so well. Eveyone is so proud of what you have all achieved it really is fantastic. Not long now and you will be home. We miss you and cant wait to hear all about it when you get back.
Loads of love
Rachel

–

Belinda’s Father, Maurice Kirk also found this wonderful old photo of her from 1978

Happy Birthday Belinda!

Posted in Blog from the boat | 6 Comments
July 15, 2010

Spurned by the weather

By SeaGals

Humber coastguard has issued a storm Force 8 warning for the east coast of Yorkshire. The Haigh Lyon Seagals are safely at anchor just north of Spurn Point near the mouth of the River Humber.

After rowing hell for leather for the last two days, the all-female crew are using the time to catch up on sleep ready to make a last dash south as soon as the wind drops, possibly tomorrow.

In a brief phone call from Go Commando, Bev Ashton said the Seagals’ own weather expert did not expect the wind in the area to reach Force 8 but would most likely peak at 25knots (Force 5-6) before dying back down on Friday night.

With at least four days rowing ahead of them, the Virgin GB Row organisors are re-scheduling the finish, which was expected on Monday, until Tuesday at the earliest. Said Bev:

We seem to have an uncanny knack of anchoring in spots with poor mobile reception. We have lots of blogs and video ready but we can’t send them, yet!

Posted in Blog from the boat | 7 Comments
July 14, 2010

Angela battles on

By SeaGals

Angela Madsen is helping the Seagals to row home – despite having a broken hand.

Former US Marine Angela tells in her blog today how she broke the index finger on her left hand firing a white flare to avoid a collision with a ship in the night near Scarborough.

Her rowing partner, Royal Navy nurse Laura Thomasson has patched up Angela’s hand (picture, below).

Angela's broken hand
Angela’s broken hand

But, despite her injury, Angela is continuing to row in Go Commando – by strapping her hand to the oar, so she doesn’t have to grip the handle.

The Seagals now have less than 300 miles left to row to the finish of their incredible journey around Britain in the Virgin GB Row Challenge.

Please offer as much support toward the SeaGals now (especially Angela) on the comments below. Any donations towards Help for Heroes, the SeaGals charity, would be gratefully received.

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July 13, 2010

Flare Guns do Kick

By SeaGals

In the middle of the night on July 13, 2010, Angela and Laura took to the oars.

They requested Bel give them the VHF Radio and turn on the SeaMe. Just after the start of their shift, they called the Coast Guard to advise that there was a big ship headed toward them. They were able to get the ship to change course.

Shortly after that, there was another big ship headed toward them. They again called the Coast Guard who contacted the ship. That ship’s captain had some difficulty understanding what the Coast Guard was saying. They said they could not see Go Commando and they kept on their collision course.

Angela reached for the flare gun and shot up a white, anti-collision, flare. She heard the ship’s captain tell the Coast Guard they had seen the flare and were changing course. Angela said it was the closest call with a big ship in all of her 166 days at sea in 3 ocean crossings.

There was a casualty of the encounter. When Angela shot the flare gun, it had a big kick.

She has a large cut on her hand, broke her left index finger, and other bones in her hand. Apparently, her homecoming on Tuesday will include a visit to her favorite doctor, Dr. G, at the Long Beach Veteran’s Hospital.

So if you see Angela trying to make her way around London pushing her chair with one hand, give her some kindness.

Posted in Blog from the boat | 1 Comment

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wendi peters
Wendi Peters

Coronation Street Actress