Essex man Atlantic row in memory of Penlee lifeboat disaster

Simon Rowe is a born and bred Cornishman, now living in Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex.

He recently gained a substitute position on the Roxy Atlantic Challenge 2021/22 to row as part of a 12-strong crew from Tenerife to Antigua.

Simon volunteered to join the team after hearing Burnham organiser Rannoch Adventure was short of a member for the crew after a late withdrawal.

As a keen paddle boarder spending plenty of time on the Crouch, Simon had seen the Ocean-going boats training and battling against the tide and river flow to improve their technique.

Simon Rowe

The Roxy Atlantic Challenge is due to embark on Sunday, December 5 and should arrive in Antigua on January 15 2022.

The 40th anniversary of the loss of heroic Penlee - the station closest to his childhood home - lifeboat Solomon Browne coincides with the row.

As a result Simon tied his ideas together and has started raising money for the RNLI in memory of the "bravest men of his formative years".

The Solomon Browne battled heavy seas and hurricane force winds to reach a stricken coaster being swept towards the coast of Cornwall in 1981.

The eight-man lifeboat crew rescued four of the eight people onboard the coaster but rather than turn back to shore they made a final heroic rescue attempt.

Then all radio contact was lost. This disaster was the last time the RNLI lost an entire crew in action.

The Roxy Atlantic Challenge rowers will be halfway on their journey on the night of December 19, 40 years to the minute after the Solomon Browne's fatal heroism.

And Simon and his 11 shipmates will - with the weather permitting - raise a toast to the heroic Cornishmen.

To donate to Simon's fundraiser for RNLI visit the Just Giving page online at bit.ly/3oVWLv2.