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2006

13/02 - Making Waves due to finish today
As of 8am GMT today, the crew onboard Marion had 27 miles to go to the finish, and are due to finish later this evening. They have taken a more northerly route and will have to track around the island of Antigua to the finish line on the south coast. After finishing they will row into English Harbour where their family and support team are waiting to welcome them back onto dry land for the first time in 76 days.

10/02 - Support team fly out
The family and some of the support team are flying out to Antigua today to hopefully welcome the crew home sometime in the next few days. Progress on the ocean has slowed slightly and Monday is now looking more likely for the finish [photo] of this epic challenge. The satellite phone onboard Marion has not been working for several days so no communications with the crew are possible until they reach shore.

09/02 - Marion to break a record?
Now having under 200 miles to the finish, the Making Waves crew have their eyes set on becoming the fastest British womens pair to row the Atlantic. The record currently stands at 105.5 days and is held by mother and daughter team, Sarah and Sally Kettle. (Sally Kettle also happens to be part of the Rowgirls team, just behind Marion). This being the 72nd day at sea for Becky and Steph, they are on track to smash this record, and become just the 23rd and 24th women ever to row an ocean. But, its not over yet - the ocean has already shown its cruelty by claiming one boat in this race (Spirit of Cornwall) this close to the finish.

08/02 - The countdown continues
With just 229 miles to go the crew can almost smell Antigua. If all goes accoring to plan, Becky and Steph will arrive into the dockyard at English Harbour on Sunday - the latest ETA can be found here. The latest press release gives a summary of the journey so far, and a insight into how it felt onboard during the toughtest moments.

The first sponsorship target has been reached, and the donations continue to come in - many thanks to all. Please help make the amount raised even more impressive!

07/02 - Getting ever closer...
As of 10am GMT today the Making Waves crew are 282 miles from the finish line just off the coast of Antigua. At their current speed this will bring them to a well earned rest sometime late on Sunday 12th or Monday 13th February. Follow their progress here. No chickens are being counted by the shore team yet, there is still a large distance to cover.

Having overtaken Rowgirls, Making Waves are now the next crew due into Antigua - Mark III and Pacific Pete have now completed the race.

06/02 - Tracking update
It has been confirmed that the support vessel, Aurora, is currently alongside Marion. Both Becky and Steph are fine and they are now in the process of transferring a replacement tracking beacon across. This will enable the online tracking to be resumed shortly. This gives them around 330 miles to the finish.

Four more boats have successfully completed the race - Mayabrit, Gurkha Spirit, Charmed Life and Mission Atlantic, who are the first ever womens four to cross the Atlantic. Congratulations to all. Next home should be Mark III, and solo rower Chris Martin in Pacific Pete.

02/02 - Tracking problems
Those keeping a watchful eye on Marion's progress across the Atlantic will have noticed that it seems to have stopped... fear not. Unfortunately the GPS onboard Marion has become locked, and is not providing any position updates. The event organisers informed the Making Waves shore team yesterday that they could still track the boat with the backup system, but this has now failed as well! One of the race support boats is heading towards Marion to help sort out the problem, and should arrive in the next 36 hours, but until then we will have no position updates.

The better news is that the weather is improving - the seas have calmed and the wind is blowing from the right direction making it good rowing conditions. There are probably around 550 miles to go to Antigua.

31/01 - Fleet update
Onboard Making Waves good progress is again being made towards the finish - there are now 650 miles to go. They are even gaining on the crew in front - RowGirls, who have unfortunately lost their rudder.

Of the 26 crews who started the race, there are now 10 boats still rowing. Six crews have had to be rescued - happily all safely. Eight have completed the race by crossing the appointed finishing line off Antigua. The remaining two - Atlantic Warrior and Row4Life have crossed the Atlantic but had to be towed to Antigua as they were blown towards Guadeloupe by the unrelenting winds (more details).

30/01 - Up and down
Yet more unfavourable weather over the weekend caused a small diversion northwards - but the crew are back heading on a more direct route to the finish. There are now less than 700 miles to go. Also, the first sponsorship target has been reached - many thanks to all who have donated. Please keep the donations coming - they all help a very worthwhle cause.

Two more boats - Team Scandlines and Row4Cancer - have successfully completed the race, and there are another three crews within 100 miles of the finish in Antigua.

26/01 - Flying fish and good progress
Becky and Steph have been able to make some steady miles the last few days on the back of some friendly weather (for once!), and this has helped their morale no end. A shoal of fish is still accompanying them (unidentified), along with some flying fish which are stripy, colourful ones. These display a propensity for suicidal flying into the boat - one, luckily only an inch in length, managed to launch itself right into the middle of Becky's forehead. Steph has a painful elbow but fortunately there was a doctor (or two) on board and treatment has started to make it better! They are very grateful for all the donations to their website and asked for their thanks to be passed on to the donors and all their well-wishers.

The crew were sorry to learn about Spirit of Cornwall's capsize and were very relieved to hear the crew was safe. There has also been a sixth capsize and subsequent successful rescue - this time of the crew of Serenity Now. On a happier note the crew of Bout-de-Vie have completed the race - what makes this all the more amazing is that both crew members are leg amputees. Congratulations to them.

24/01 - Day 56 at sea - latest press release
Today will be the 56th day at sea for the crew of Making Waves, and they are now back rowing for 24 hours each day. Today's highlight for the girls has been a summary of the latest action in 'Neighbours' read over the satellite phone! Although the chance of setting a new women's record for the crossing has gone, it is now all about finishing the race safely. If all goes well this will still take another three or four weeks of hard rowing in pretty harsh conditions. The weather in this race has been awful, as the number of capsizes will testify.

23/01 - Under 1,000 miles to go
The last two days have seen far more promising progress from the crew onboard Marion, and they have now crossed the important '1,000 miles to go' barrier. Both Becky and Steph were ecstatic when told of their sponsorship progress and this has given them an enormous lift in morale. There is still a long way to go but they are now certainly counting downwards rather than upwards! A massive thankyou to everyone who has donated so far, you are all truely making a difference to life onboard a boat in the middle of the Atlantic.

Unfortunately there has been another boat that has had to be rescued - the crew of Spirit of Cornwall were safely picked up yesterday less than 200 miles from the finish.

20/01 - A fuller story
As revealed in an article in the Nottingham Evening Post, one of the crew onboard Marion is on the verge of being forced to leave the boat. Becky has been struggling throughout the voyage with the high energy food, as well as severe weight loss. It had been planned that she was going to be lifted to the support ship Aurora last weekend, but emergencies elsewhere in the fleet caused that attempt to be aborted. It is now at least 10 days until the support ship Sula can get to Making Waves to take Becky onboard. This is not a decision that has been taken lightly. It is still hoped that in the next few days the crew can make some good mileages towards Antigua and hence feel much closer to the finish - this is bound to help crew morale, and maybe they will both feel strong enough to get over the line. Steph has vowed to carry on, whether Becky has to leave or not. They are both currently on two-thirds food rations to ensure that they have enough food onboard so that both can make the finish. Please keep the support coming through these difficult days - whether via email (mail@makingwaves2005.org) or through the sponsorship pages - it really does help the girls.

19/01 - Update: More problems
Although the satellite phone is working, the crew are currently unable to receive the vital text messages that have kept them going throughout the voyage so far. The land support team have asked that instead of sending text messages, the best way to support Becky and Steph is to sponsor a mile of the race instead. The boost that the knowledge that their mammoth efforts are raising money for their chosen worthwhile cause will help no end.

Another crew in the race - MoveAhead - capsized in large waves, but have now been safely rescued after spending 36 hours in their liferaft.

19/01 - Near capsize
The reason for the lack of updates over the last few days has been that the satellite phone onboard Making Waves had stopped working, so the land team were unable to make contact. Contact was restored late yesterday and the reason was what was described as 'all but a capsize', which flooded part of the boat and got the phone wet - it has now dried out! The crew continue to make slow progress and life on the ocean remains very tough indeed.

15/01 - More rough weather
For those of you keeping a close eye on the Making Waves progress will notice some fluctuating mileages in recent days. There is some more rough weather in the Atlantic. This is yet another really tough time for the crew and all messages of support are invaluable to crew morale - they continue to thank everyone, from all over the world, who has sent messages previously and ask that they keep coming - it will really help in their last efforts to reach Antigua. Elsewhere in the fleet, the weather has unfortunately already caused two more capsizes - this time of the American all-girls pair American Fire - who have now been safely rescued (more details), and of Team Sun Latte whose boat had sustained damage.

10/01 - Halfway across Atlantic - latest press release
This morning, after 41 days at sea, the Making Waves crew crossed the halfway point in their epic voyage. Becky and Steph celebrated with a breakfast of custard and golden syrup after a night spent in the cabin due to 10m waves washing over the boat. It is hoped that the second half of the race will take less time as the weather until now has not been very friendly. All texts and charity donations continue to be well received.

Elsewhere in the field there have been two capsizes, and another crew member washed overboard due to large waves. One crew had to be rescued by a tanker when they were unable to right their boat. Fortunately all are well. These incidents highlight the dangers that these crews are facing in their voyage. On a happier note the first crew have finished - All Relative set a new race record and are celebrating on dry land in Antigua.

08/01 - Competition launched
One of the main aims of the Making Waves project is to raise money for the Steve Redgrave Trust. To thank anyone who sponsors the crew, a competition has been launched - the prize being a paddle in 'Marion' when the boat returns to the UK. To enter you simply need to predict the finishing date and time for the Making Waves crew, and sponsor the crew to help them reach the target of at least £1 per mile of the race. So, no time to lose - you can enter the competition here - the closing date is 1st February. As Becky and Steph approach the halfway point in the voyage it would give them a great boost to know that their efforts are raising money for their chosen charity.

04/01 - Steady progress
The last few days have seen steady progress for the crew onboard Marion - a new rowing shift pattern has reaped rewards with higher speeds sustained in the last couple of days. A new Tropical Storm has formed ahead of them, but it is predicted to move away, though it will affect the boats towards the front of the fleet. The first boat (All Relative) - crewed by a team of 4 - is expected to finish the race sometime in the next few days. Becky and Steph thank again everyone for all their messages - please keep them coming!

01/01 - Happy New Year!
As we move into 2006, Becky and Steph continue to make steady progress across the Atlantic, completing over 1000 miles in the first month of their voyage, with about 1800 miles to go. Best wishes to all for 2006.

2005

28/12 - Christmas onboard Marion
The festive period has been a mixed bag for the crew of Making Waves, with a wide range of weather experienced. On occasions it has been beautiful rowing conditions, mixed with flat calm with high temperatures and periods of winds up to 30 knots, accompanied by rain. Christmas Day itself brought wind and rain from the wrong direction which meant many miles south rather than west. On the bright side, they opened their presents and received a text from Sir Steve Redgrave whose charity they are supporting - all donations gratefully received! Sir Steve told the girls he could think of better ways to spend Christmas than chasing James Cracknell across the Atlantic in a rowing boat! They have had to spend some time towing the drogue anchor to give the boat some stability in the more difficult seas they have encountered. In spite of these tests they are in fine form having had plenty of positives to balance the demanding aspects. The sunshine helped to charge both theirs and the boats batteries to an encouraging level, water production has enabled them to save enough for a shower when conditions permit and during periods of exceptionally clear night skies they have seen some very large shooting stars. Onwards into 2006!

23/12 - Christmas approaches
After the recent weather delay the crews in the Atlantic Rowing Race are all making good progress towards Antigua. As most of us on dry land tuck into our Christmas turkeys, please spare a thought for those currently in the middle of the ocean - perhaps even send them a free Christmas text to help them through what must be a difficult time of the voyage. Becky and Steph have travelled around a quarter of the distance across the Atlantic, and are placed in the middle of the field of doubles crews - and about 80 miles ahead of the other all girls double, American Fire.

21/12 - Not Making Waves!
After four days going backwards the Making Waves crew are finally on the move again. The girls are still chirpy, even given the extended period of enforced anchoring. The crew have been relieving boredom by playing hangman on their whiteboard and making Christmas decorations for the cabin out of electrical wire and paper. Then the support yacht 'Sula' had given them a fright arriving alongside unannounced at 0200! They are also relieved to hear about the close escape for one of the other crews, Team Sun Latte, who had survived a shark attack! Thanks once again to everyone who has been sending them texts.

19/12 - Back on the sea anchor - latest press release
After a brief respite the whole fleet is again stuck on their sea anchors as the weather continues to prove problematic. The Making Waves crew are well but frustrated - all they want to do is press on to Antigua! Their blisters are better, though they desperately want a shower! The sea isn't too rough, and the boat is apparently less uncomfortable than the last time but the wind is against them. The crew continue to receive loads of texts (including from Sir Steve Redgrave), but are having a little difficulty identifying some of the senders! They were amazed that of all the jokes they had been sent only 1 was a repeat!

As for their surroundings, the sea is a deep sapphire blue and they still have their dolphins accompanying them, they mostly swim each side of the bow. The girls always know when they are going to join them because they made a distinctive sound through their blowholes before surfacing. One woke Becky up when she dropped off to sleep in the middle of the night whilst rowing! They are grateful to have such good companions.

16/12 - Day 16 update
The Making Waves crew continue to make steady progress, currently averaging around 2mph towards the finish in Antigua. Last night saw a brief stoppage, due to an electrical storm putting on an impressive display. As for food, breakfast onboard Marion now has added custard to aid calorie intake!

14/12 - On the move again
After more than 2 frustrating days spent on the para-anchor going backwards in very unpleasant conditions, the seas have calmed sufficiently so that the crew can start rowing again. Progress is still difficult as the waves are still going the wrong way. Nevertheless, the girls are in good spirits and report that their key electrical equipment (the desalinator and solar panels) seems to be working well. They would like to thank everyone who is sending texts, jokes, quizzes, and most especially the updates on 'Neighbours', which they hope will be regular! These messages seem to be an important part of their life at the moment, and are certainly helping to maintain morale. A very big special thank you to Colston Bassetts Primary School for all their texts.

12/12 - Going backwards... - press release
Like the rest of the fleet, the Making Waves crew have deployed their sea anchor, due to the high seas making rowing impossible. This causes them to drift with the swell, which has been in the wrong direction. This must be a very difficult time for them, and so they have requested any amusing jokes to be sent via text to give them a boost and help pass the time.

10/12 - Day 10 - chased by a waterspout!
After the hurricane induced high seas, extreme and unusual weather continue to plague Making Waves - the crew have now been chased by a waterspout! Waterspouts are basically a tornado over water, and are extremely rare occurances in mid-ocean. The track of the waterspout took it towards the quite surprised crew who had to paddle full speed eastwards and then northwards (i.e. the wrong direction!) to avoid being caught up in the spout. The crew are now back paddling towards the finish line. They also request updates on the TV programme 'Neighbours' to be sent via text, as they are desperate for news. (oh dear - has the ocean sent them mad?! Web editor.)

09/12 - Day 9 - situation improving
The sea has calmed slightly overnight as the storm recedes. The race support ship Aurora has been on hand to offer guidance about deployment of the sea anchor and to watch for approaching ships while Becky and Steph managed to eat and sleep. Further updates to follow.

08/12 - DAY 8 UPDATE
Ex-Hurricane Epsilon is having a major impact on Making Waves. Very high seas have made eating and sleeping very difficult, and so progress is slow, and morale low. Forecast is for situation to improve within 48 hours, but it will be very hard for the crew between now and then. Please send texts of encouragement (its free) - it really, really helps the girls.

08/12 - One week gone - press release
As the teams move into their second week afloat, Making Waves are delighted with their progress so far. They continue to move up the field on their more northerly track. Day 5 dawned calm, and the crew were accompanied by turtles for most of it. The last couple of days have seen an increasing ocean swell due to Hurricane Epsilon, which is lingering in the Atlantic for longer than expected. The girls remain delighted with all the texts they are receiving. Some photos as Marion crossed the start line have been added to the photos page.

05/12 - The first few days.... - press release about encounter with liner
Making Waves continue to make steady progress, and have managed to report in with some of their first experiences of ocean rowing. On Day 3 the sea got up with an awkward cross swell which made rowing difficult, and early on Day 4 a cruise ship came too close for comfort and the crew had to send up white flares to alert the ship of their position. The sea calmed down later on in the day and they had the delightful company of a couple of dolphins who popped up behind the boat and escorted them for a while; this gave quite a boost to their spirits! The girls very much appreciate all the text messages they have been receiving and ask that their thanks be given to all senders. Please keep them coming!

02/12 - Story of the start - photos
Bright sunshine and a bit of a breeze going in the right direction met the crews at the start of the race. The change of the start time from 11am to 12pm was very beneficial as the crew tidied up the last few jobs they had outstanding. Steph and Becky were very calm and focussed and keen to get started. There was a tremendous supportive atmosphere amongst the rowers, 'good luck', 'see you in Antigua', 'need any help?', etc abounded. The start looked like a regular rowing race only with a wider start line and fatter boats!

01/12 - First race report - press release
One day into the race and the voyage seems to be going well. The Making Waves team are well up in the pack of crews. Already there seems to be differences of opinion as to the fastest route across the Atlantic with crews going in very different directions.

30/11 - Good Luck to Becky, Steph and all the crews!
After another short delay, the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005 got underway at 12 noon today. The official race website shows the comparative progress of all the crews updated every hour, and the daily progress of Marion also. Messages of support can be sent to the crew for free via their satellite phone, though they will not be able to reply.

28/11 - Race start rescheduled
After a large storm hit the Canary Islands, the start of the Atlantic Rowing Race has been postponed until 30th November at 11am. Meanwhile, the race committee organised a 5 mile warm-up 'sprint' race, which Steph entered with ex-ocean rower Rob Hamill, finishing 6th out of the 20 crews entered.

15/11 - Making Waves team leave UK
Becky and Steph have now left the UK and are in the Canary Islands making their final preparations for their voyage. Once the race is underway there will hopefully be weekly reports on this website, and their progress can be monitored in real time here. Text messages can be sent to the crew for free by following these instructions.

26/09 - Thames Descent report (photos)
The final leg of the 'Triple Classic' was an epic row for the entire length of the Thames from Lechlade to Gravesend - a total of 185 miles with 46 locks to navigate. Starting at 4am one Wednesday morning, the crew reached Wallingford by the end of the day before having a break. A row to Marlow the next day was followed by a trip to Putney on Day 3, and the final leg to Gravesend on the 4th morning. Many thanks from the crew to all who helped. The boat and equipment will now be readied for the journey to the Canary Islands as the race start is just two months away!

19/09 - 'Triple Classic' update (photos)
The first two of the three classic rowing events were completed over the weekend - first was the Great River Race where the Making Waves team finished 6th overall, winning both the mixed and Thames-based prizes. The next day was the Boston Marathon - 31 miles - the longest rowing race in the UK. Becky and Steph retained their pairs title, setting a new record time. In two days time the team will attempt to complete the Thames Descent.

18/08 - 100 days to go!
With just 100 days until the start of the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005 in the Canary Islands, preparations continue in September with several long distance rows in 'Marion' - The Great River Race (17th), followed the next day by the Boston Marathon (18th), and finally the 165-mile Thames Descent (21st). This set of events has been dubbed the 'Triple Classic' (press release).

04/07 - Renaming in Henley - (photos)
During last weeks Henley Royal Regatta, Sir Steve Redgrave renamed the Making Waves ocean rowing boat in preparation for the voyage which awaits. Sir Steve expertly popped the cork of the champagne bottle and poured the champagne on to the bow, saying he took great pleasure in re-naming the boat 'Marion', wished Steph and Becky a safe race across the Atlantic and success in their endeavours. He was very grateful that they had chosen his Charitable Trust for children as the beneficiary of any money they are able to raise. When asked if he fancied rowing across the Atlantic his reply was swift and to the point 'Not at all - I think you are mad to do it!'. Sponsors Julian Glasspole and Ray Sims were also present as Steph presented Sir Steve with their first cheque for his Charitable Trust.

27/06 - Henley and latest updates
The countdown to the race continues on Friday 1st July when Sir Steve Redgrave will officially launch the boat at Remenham during the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta between 10 - 11am. Money raised from the race will be donated to the Steve Redgrave Trust childrens charity.

With exactly five months to go until the official race start, other preparations continue apace. The compulsory training courses have all been completed and new sponsors have been added to the supporters of the challenge.

28/03 - Article published in Nottingham Evening Post and news on the preparation
Nottingham's local paper interviewed Becky & Steph recently, with just eight months until the start of the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005. The crew have also completed many of their compulsory training courses in preparation for the start.

27/02 - Nine months to go!
With exactly nine months before the race begins in the Canaries, training is going well. The list of fellow entrants grows longer, and includes the first celebrity entry into the race. Ben Fogle (TV presenter) will team up with an unspecified partner to attempt the crossing.

2004

01/12 - One year to go until the start!
With one year to go until the race start, entries have now closed. Lining up on the start line next November will be 51 boats from all around the globe, including 5 solo rowers, 42 pairs and 4 teams of four. These will include 4 all-female crews. Becky and Steph's training continues apace as the race looms ever closer!

15/10 - Race start date announced
Woodvale Events today announced that the start date for the next Atlantic Rowing Race would be 27th November 2005. This date was picked to avoid the main tourist seasons at the start and finish as well as to avoid the hurricane season in the Carribean. Also, the prevailing winds are generally lighter in November and this will allow easier race support. It also means that the competitors will be spending Christmas and New Year battling the open seas!

28/09 - Press Release
The University of Nottingham makes a press release concerning the Making Waves 2005 team.

20/09 - Boston Marathon report - (photos)
Becky and Steph completed the Boston Rowing Marathon (31 miles) in just over 4 hours, finishing over half way up the field, and 7th amongst the women’s entries, against many larger boats.

13/09 - Great River Race report - (photos)
The crew for the race from Richmond to Greenwich was the Making Waves 2005 team, along with the boat’s previous occupants, David Riches and Peter Haining. They were the fastest mixed boat over the 22-mile course, finishing 8th overall.

18/08 - Two Atlantic rowing races merged
It was announced today that the Woodvale Doubles Atlantic Rowing Race and the Ocean Rowing Society Atlantic Rowing Regatta will be merged. The combined event will now start in November 2005, racing from La Gomera to Antigua, and will be for solo rowers as well as doubles and fours, and up to 50 boats will be taking part.

28/07 - Number assigned
The Making Waves crew have been allocated team number 7 for next years event - the same as for the boat’s last successful race.

26/07 - Photos added
Pictures from the boat’s mooring on the Thames in Putney, showing the slightly battered interior from a long voyage, have been added to the photos page.

23/07 - Website launched
makingwaves2005.org is unveiled to the waiting world. The challenge has well and truly begun!

19/07 - National Rowing Championships, UK
Becky and Steph finish runners-up in the lightweight pairs at the British National Championships.

12/07 - Boat arrives in the UK
The boat which the Making Waves team are going to use, Marion-Lviv, arrives back in the UK from Jamaica, where it ended its last voyage.