His mission? Rowing solo across the Atlantic. The strategy? Daydreaming

A 59-year old South African who spent 70 days rowing himself across the Atlantic says he spent much of the time daydreaming about the future.

Ex-merchant navy officer Zirk Botha believes his mind and not his muscles was most important in helping him set a new world record for an unassisted Cape to Rio row. When the going got tough – such as the violent storm that lasted two and a half days – Botha simply strapped himself into his cupboard-sized cabin in the bow of his rowing boat and daydreamed about his children.

“That was my strategy, to basically daydream,” Botha told Sunday Times Daily this week from his base in Brazil, where he is relaxing before returning home next week. 

Mental preparation for prolonged isolation had been a vital part of the build-up to his departure shortly before Christmas, Botha said, adding his daydreams often dwelt on future escapades with his family. “I had a discussion with myself before (the trip) about the way to manage it,” Botha said.

“When you are physically removed from other people, that is a big thing, because we as human beings are tribal animals. We need to have people around us.”

By contrast Botha spent almost his entire time accompanied by only heavy seas and winds, with only rare encounters with passing sea life. Occasionally he was visited by marlin, which swam by at the surface almost within touching distance: “Three times marlin came around the boat – I never realised the marlin is such a beautiful creature, such a beautiful green colour.”

He said he was surprised how few ships he saw in the open ocean, although his field of vision was little more than seven nautical miles on account of being so close to the water. But this changed when he got closer to the busy offshore oil fields along the Brazilian coastline.

When he neared the finishing line he was joined by a welcoming flotilla of outrigger canoes and vessels, and several local dignitaries attended a reception at his honour at the historic Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club.

Botha said his record time was thanks to strong tailwinds and favourable currents for most of the trip. He had windy conditions for 68 of his 70 days at sea while following a popular sailing route known as the “Great Circle Route”, which involves getting a “slingshot” northwards across the ocean from the Trade Winds.

Although thankful for the windy push, Botha said he took a battering from the constant motion, particularly at night when it was difficult to sleep.

“I could not sleep for long periods, so I was sleep deprived,” he explained in a statement released upon his arrival.

“When I was not rowing I had to desalinate water, clean the hull and do general boat maintenance, besides laundry, which also impacted on the time I had available to rest.

“As a solo rower I had to deal with all physical, mental and emotional challenges without support or relief. I had to navigate 24/7 with no-one else to keep a visual lookout for ships or changes in weather conditions while I slept.”

I had a discussion with myself before the trip, about the way to manage it.

—  Zirk Botha

There was, however, one extraordinary moment of calm, on a full moon night not far off the Brazilian coast: “I was rowing one night about three nights out from the finish, just before full moon, when suddenly the sea had gone completely calm. It was like a mirror. I stopped rowing because I just had to stop to take it in. It was absolutely, absolutely dead quiet. I just stopped and stood up on my boat, just listening.

“That was my highlight.”

Botha is not planning anything specific for his upcoming 60th birthday, insisting age is just a number.

“I hope that I’ve proven to everybody that 59 doesn’t mean anything. We’ve become so loath to try and do things out of our comfort zone, thinking I’m too young or too old.

“I think I’m going to pause the clock at 59,” Botha chuckled.