Importantly: Annasley is safe and well – however, at around 19:00 UTC last night she suffered a capsize. 😱
As she headed out to sea and beyond the shelter of the island, she hit the section where the wind was funnelling through between Gran Canaria and the neighbouring island of Tenerife. 🌬️
This created incredibly confused, and very BIG seas. She described it as going from pretty “lumpy conditions to 3.5-4 metre white horses, which eventually got me as I was dancing around them. I could see it coming!” 🌊
Annasley’s boat, True Blue, is designed to self right if it capsizes – i.e. if it goes over, as long as the hatch door is sealed, it will return to being the right way up, without any assistance from the rower. Annasley is also wearing a harness that clips her to the boat at all times. And because she was following perfect drills; hatch closed, clipped on – it was an extremely unpleasant, extremely violent encounter, but one that she was prepared for, and one that went as well as it can do. 👍
Soaking wet, Annasley clambered back on board her boat and deployed her para-anchor (a large underwater parachute that slows her drift, which we’ll explain more about soon) whilst she recovered. 😴
The plan, was to wait out the night, and get some good rest after a baptism of fire. But, anyone that knows Annasley, will know she can’t keep still for long, and at 02:00 this morning – she pulled in her parachute, got back on the oars, and continued on her way! 🤯
It’s barely been 24 hours, and we’re blown away by this woman’s strength and resilience!!! COME ON ANNASLEY!!!! 💪💪
Throughout this crossing Annasley is raising money for four very important charities; BBC Children in Need, MS Society, The Alnwick Garden, and The Clocktower Foundation – please support her by donating.
