OT: A solo odyssey across the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat. What made you do it?
Bhavik Gandhi:
OT: How was the trip?
Bhavik Gandhi: It’s been challenging mentally, physically and emotionally. Trying to get miles out of the weather conditions, focusing on the goal and resolving problems with the boat, equipment, etc, along the way. A lot of emotional highs and lows, living alongside fear and beauty at the same time.
OT: How did you prepare for the trip?
Bhavik Gandhi: Physical preparation was working out in the gym. My past experiences (I also sail and dive) have helped me have more faith in the decisions I make.
OT: What was your daily routine on the boat?
Bhavik Gandhi: Eat. Row. Think. I used to row about 12 hours a day. The weather was bad. Hurricane season had already started and I was under a lot of pressure to keep the mileage up.
OT: What was the high point of the trip?
Bhavik Gandhi: Rowing in the middle of the night and first sighting a glowing cloud on the horizon. It was a cloud reflecting the lights of Antigua further away from the horizon. I had navigated 6,600km of ocean successfully on a 7m piece of fibreglass and was hitting Antigua right on target.
OT: And low point?
Bhavik Gandhi: Getting stuck in a thunderstorm. There was a lot of lightning and I was praying that it would not strike the metal mast of the boat.
OT: What were the difficulties you faced during the crossing?
Bhavik Gandhi: A few days into the trip, a huge wave broke my rudder right off the back of the boat. I had to carry on, as I was 200 miles from land. I kept fixing it along the way. This also resulted in a water leak, so I lost some food. Then I capsized mid-ocean, as I was trying to fix the rudder. I lost food in the cap-size and had to spend the last two weeks on a liquid diet of protein. Apart from that, the usual challenges of dealing with isolation, staying motivated, coping with physical discomfort, etc.
OT: How does it feel to be back?
Bhavik Gandhi: Just recovering from the salt sores on my rear. Legs still getting used to walking. But it feels great to be back on land, although it’s quite surreal to see humans after so long [106 days].
OT: How does it feel to be the first Asian to row solo across the Atlantic?
Bhavik Gandhi: It’s been a privilege to be able to row across the Atlantic and experience what a handful of people have seen and what most will never experience. They say you can only cross the Atlantic if it lets you. It’s been very good to me, despite the problems.
OT: What is your next trip and when?
Bhavik Gandhi: Resting for now. Watch this space.
OT: You have travelled quite a bit since childhood, having lived in India, Sri Lanka, UK and now Sweden. Do you like travelling?
Bhavik Gandhi: Yes. It’s a beautiful planet we live on, and it should be experienced.
OT: What’s your kind of holiday?
Bhavik Gandhi: Any place I have not been to before.
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