Rowing After the White Whale

What's it like to be on a small boat with no power but oars, and over 1,500 miles from the nearest land? Two friends decided to find out... Over a boozy Sunday lunch, flatmates James Adair and Ben Stenning made a promise to row across an ocean despite having no sailing or rowing experience whatsoever. This is an account of their 116 days at sea as they undertook the voyage of a lifetime. From eerie calms to their capsize in stormy seas, their determination and perseverance pushed them through the relentless dangers of rowing and sleeping under sun, moon, wind and stars for day upon day. Their tale is one of moonbows and meteor showers, passing whales and thieving fish, lurking sharks and giant squid ... and a terrifying fight for survival.

James Adair read Modern History at the University of St Andrews. He worked for two years as the editor of the Alderney Journal, perhaps the world's smallest paid-for newspaper, wrote a column in the Guernsey Press and wrote freelance articles for The Times' Books and News sections. To finance his dream of rowing an ocean he took a job as a shipbroker with HSBC in London. In the aftermath of his and Ben's incredible journey, he has returned to shipbrokerage.