Rower completes Atlantic row challenge in the Isles of Scilly

Tom Waddington rowed the distance, from Canada, in aid of charity Mind

St Mary's Harbour
Author: Megan PricePublished 21st Aug 2024

A man who has been rowing the Atlantic single handed since last month has officially completed his challenge at the Isles of Scilly.

Tom Waddington set off from Canada on 4 July, raising more than ÂŁ60,000 for the charity Mind.

He was originally planning to finish in Penzance but due to stormy conditions, diverted his route to the Scillies.

After crossing the line, and later requesting support from the local RNLI team to help get him into St. Mary's Harbour, Tom eventually clambered up the harbour ladder to take his first steps on to land the following day, before eventually getting over to Penzance to see his family and friends.

Barry Hayes, who has been documenting Tom's journey on social media, said: "He's faced many storms and strong gales which pushed him so far that he couldn't row against it on many occasions. In fact, the conditions were so strong that the boat capsized on three occasions."

Barry added: "He's been out there entirely alone, he's been completely in his own mind. You don't get that much time to think when you're in the real world.

"Tom's done fantastically well. Not only did he manage to row all the way across without any support whatsoever, he raised more than ÂŁ10,000 more than he initially set out to raise."

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