VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The clouds hanging over Hampton Roads for days had finally dissipated by the time Peter Harley launched his cross-Atlantic row Sunday morning.
Conditions were right and the tide receding when the 61-year-old pushed off from Dockside Seafood and Fishing Center before a crowd of about 50. Harley aims to solo row 4,000 miles to La Trinité Sur-Mer, France — a journey he estimates will take 3-4 months.
“All right, let’s do it,” Harley shouted as he stepped into his boat.
Onlookers gathered at Dockside, bloody marys in hand, to watch. Many said they heard about Harley’s plans through social media or the news.
Though Harley has received a flood of media attention in recent weeks, the adventure has been years in the making. After 28 months of training, Harley said he was “feeling good” and “ready to go” Sunday morning.
The South African native, who lives in North Carolina, initially planned to set off in the first week of May, but stormy weather foiled launch plans.
Now on his way, Harley’s home for the near future is a 24-foot tricked-out row boat aptly named the “Wild Ride.”
Coming days will be split between shifts of rowing and rest. After six roughly two-hour stretches of paddling, Harley will retreat to the cabin for a few hours of sleep.
A website dedicated to the effort, northatlanticchallenge.com, shares live tracking updates of Harley’s location. Solar-powered equipment on Harley’s boat allows for people to send him messages.
Harley’s daughter, Bonnie Evans, built the website and created a social media presence for the challenge. She also rallied donors to contribute to three charities focused on the planet, children, and animals.
“It’s second nature just to want to dive in with him and do these things,” Evans said in a recent interview.
Harley posed for a few last-minute pictures and embraced Evans before paddling off to cheers from the crowd.
“See you in France,” Evans said as she waved at him.
———
