Zara Lachlan is a remarkable human being. At aged 21, she has become the youngest person and first woman to row solo, unassisted and non-stop from Europe to South America. Having set off from Lagos marina on 27 October, Zara rowed for 97 days, a total of 6670 km (3600 nautical miles) to French Guyana. Sports editor David Lugg spoke to Zara to find out about the highs and lows of such an extraordinary expedition.
My first impression of Zara is one of calmness personified. If mere mortals like me had just spent almost 100 unassisted days at sea, I would more likely have been traumatised, but for Zara it was more like a challenge that she fully expected to complete. I ask her about her training regime and what preparation was required to undertake the journey.
“Normal rowing training, before I left, was 39 hours a week so I didn’t have to build up any fitness for it. Therefore, I didn’t suffer from any blisters. Obviously, you get sore and stiff but it was fine.” This put her in good stead for the quest ahead, though mother nature kindly delivered some interesting twists along the way.
“I settled into a routine of 16-and-a-half hours of rowing per day. Sometimes I would do a little bit more. When I was going through the Canaries, I would do between 18 and 22 hours of rowing,” she tells me. In fact, the winds were so strong in the Canary Islands that Zara had to row over 18 hours just to stop going backwards. “Out of the first 39 days, I had the wind against me for 35. Going through the Canaries was awful,” she notes, her ever-composed tones showing a brief moment of irritation.
I asked Zara if the physical and mental strain of completing the Canaries ever prompted her to quit. “Oh yeah, I had my moments. But I’m too stubborn. I see getting through the Canaries as a bigger achievement than reaching South America. Being the only person to push yourself for that many hours a day and get nowhere was really harsh. I still had 3,000 miles to go.”
But how did she focus each day? Were there any rituals? Any songs that she would sing to keep her going? “Passing the time was very easy. Though, I broke my phone on day 40 so I had no music or podcasts for 57 days. I was completely alone. But I am quite good at switching off my brain. I just enjoyed it. It was nice to be fully immersed in nature without any distractions.”
Nature certainly played its part. Aside from the winds, Zara had to contend with dolphins, sharks and, most concerningly, orcas. In fact, she still has the teeth marks in her foot from what she believes might have been a barracuda. Moreover, Zara points out that she is not a strong swimmer, something which surprises me. “If it gets to the point where I’m swimming to survive, then I’m dead anyway,” she notes, rather matter-of-factly.
I ask Zara about her emotions on Christmas Day. Did she have time to reflect on matters at home or was it just another day? “I didn’t feel particularly lonely at any point, but it was my first Christmas away from my parents and my brother,” she recalls, allowing a rare poignant moment to escape her lips. “But I remember it was very hot and I went for a swim. And then I carried on,” she adds resolutely.
No doubt the elation of seeing land for the first time in 97 days was something special, but I asked Zara if there was something that she particularly missed about rowing solo out on the ocean? Perhaps It was the solitude? Or being surrounded by nature? Maybe something so simple as not using a mobile phone? “All of it,” she replies without hesitation. “I love being back, but I miss my boat. Despite everything that is inconvenient and uncomfortable about it, I honestly really loved it.”
Zara’s comments are the epitome of someone who enjoys every moment that life has to offer – her journey is her destination. She is just about to complete her physics degree at Loughborough University before heading to Sandhurst in September to become a British Army officer. Will we see her again on another mission like this in the future? “I would love it,” she laughs. And so would we.
Instagram: @atlantic_solo_zara
Zara Lachlan has set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for the Team Forces Foundation and Women In Sport: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/zara-lachlan-atlantic-solo-row
