A British man has spoken for the first time about setting a new record after navigating the world's most dangerous ocean crossing, the Drake Passage, in a rowing boat. Jamie Douglas-Hamilton, 38, was part of a six-person team that conquered the notorious 750-mile stretch of ocean connecting Cape Horn in Chile with Antarctica.
Over nearly two weeks, the crew rowed 24 hours a day in 90-minute shifts, enduring freezing conditions and storms that produced waves up to 40 feet high. Dubbed 'the impossible row', their successful journey was completed on Christmas Day and recorded by the Discovery Channel. The team set five world records, three of which had never been attempted before, as rowing the Drake Passage had previously been considered too dangerous.
Named after the English seaman Sir Francis Drake, the passage was first traversed in 1616 by a Dutch explorer and played an important role in world trade before the opening of the Panama Canal. 'We were hit by winds from every single direction and the seas down there are very violent – it's the roughest ocean in the world,' Mr Douglas-Hamilton said. 'We almost capsized many times, and the problem with that is the water is so cold that if you go in, you've probably got two to five minutes.'
He added: 'In the 12 days we endured a lot of pain, exhaustion, sleep deprivation and severe cold which has now led to frost nip in my feet and fingers, a condition that takes weeks to recover from. I also lost two stone in weight, but all the pain and suffering disappeared as we reached the South Shetland Islands and rowed through the most pristine and beautiful landscape I have ever seen.'
Mr Douglas-Hamilton said he had been inspired by his grandfather, Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, who flew over the summit of Mount Everest in 1933 in an open cockpit biplane. 'What might seem impossible rarely is if you truly believe in what you are doing and are determined to make it a reality,' he added. Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday described the journey as 'one of the most significant human-powered adventures ever undertaken'.
