Blog
Day 04, 2021-12-31
Seasickness is almost gone. Well rested and emotional because of New Years Day. Thinking about our loved ones. And reading letters from home.
Day 04, 2021-12-31
Landscape: Free horizon in every direction
Weather: Clouds 1/8, southeast 8 m/s
Temp: 15 degrees
Distance: 50 km
Average distance: 44 km
Total distance: 174 km
Position: 36.289548, -9.896000
Health/Emotions: Seasickness is almost gone. Well rested and emotional because of New Years Day. Thinking about our loved ones.
Description of the day
Still winds from the wrong direction, we managed to row some but mostly drifted southwest. We have also slept and rested, and done some improvements on the boat.
It doesn’t feel like New Year’s Eve. A bit different from how we usually spend it.
Coalition Clean Baltic - Save the Baltic Porpoise
Harbour porpoises are small compared to other whales. They normally grow to approximately 150-170 cm in length and can weigh 50-70 kg. In comparison, a bottlenose dolphin can be 3-4 metres long and weigh around 600 kg.
Aphorism
If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.
Jack Dixon
Action
Sign up a petition to protect The Baltic porpoise habitat https://www.skrivunder.com/skydda_ostersjotumlaren_fran_utrotning
Partners
#simrisalg #datanetab #24hourmeals #suitehomespain #melkerkayaks #clearwrap#outdoorexperten #kleankanteen #sundayafternoons #opinel #bergansofnorway#teamsubtech #subtechsports #Primusequipment #primus #yuliyalife #ekensnaval #sarinfo#7slu #SaveTheBalticPorpoise #RäddaTumlaren #balticporpoise
Letters from home delivered on the New Year’s Eve.
Day 03, 2021-12-30
Seasickness starting to get better, but quite not there. We are feeling a bit low cause of our progress.
Day 03, 2021-12-30
Landscape: Free horizon in every direction
Weather: Clouds 1/8, southeast 8 m/s
Temp: 15 degrees
Distance: 34 km
Average distance: 41 km
Total distance: 124 km
Position: 36.357718 -9.425453
Health/Emotions: Seasickness starting to get better, but quite not there. We are feeling a bit low cause of our progress.
Description of the day
Today we have the wind from the southeast and we can’t row towards our destination.
We also can’t drop our para-anchor because we will drift back into the cargo shipping lanes. Therefore we spent most of the day rowing west to avoid them.
Coalition Clean Baltic - Save the Baltic Porpoise
Harbour porpoises are threatened by fisheries since they can get caught and drown in fishing nets. This is one of the primary reasons there are so few porpoises left in the Baltic Sea today. Harbour porpoises are also exposed to underwater noise from heavy shipping traffic and fast leisure boats. For the Baltic Sea harbour porpoises to recover, we need more areas where these activities are restricted.
Aphorism
What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.
Zig Ziglar
Action
Sign up a petition to protect The Baltic porpoise habitat https://www.skrivunder.com/skydda_ostersjotumlaren_fran_utrotning
Partners
#simrisalg #datanetab #24hourmeals #suitehomespain #melkerkayaks #clearwrap#outdoorexperten #kleankanteen #sundayafternoons #opinel #bergansofnorway#teamsubtech #subtechsports #Primusequipment #primus #yuliyalife #ekensnaval #sarinfo#7slu #SaveTheBalticPorpoise #RäddaTumlaren #balticporpoise
Control pannel.
Day 02
We are still battling with sea sickness and therefore it’s hard to get food down and we start to feel weak.
Day 02, 2021-12-29
Landscape: Free horizon in every direction
Weather: Clouds 3/8, east 3 m/s
Temp: 15 degrees
Distance: 50 km
Average distance: 45 km
Total distance: 90 km
Position:
Health/Emotions: We are still battling with seasickness and therefore it’s hard to get food down and we start to feel weak.
Description of the day
The swells are very long and big from the west. Chopped waves coming from the east. We haven’t gotten our sealegs on quite yet. Struggling to get good progress. We are very heavy now at the start with a rowboat weighing more than 1000 kg.
Måns saw two dolphins swimming by jumping out of the water. The rowing, sun and weather are taking their toll on us but we’ll have to push through and adjust our bodies to their new living conditions. We made it safe and sound across the “Gibraltar highway”, although there was a lot of traffic with heavy freighters that we had to manoeuvre our way through. Luckily our AIS warns us if we are on collision course. Rowing through the night was very dark and very beautiful.
Coalition Clean Baltic – Save the Baltic Porpoise
The harbour porpoise is a small whale that actually lives in the Baltic Sea, but it is critically endangered. There are only a few hundred animals left today, and now management measures are needed to save them.
Aphorism
“The real meditation is how you live your life.” – Jon Kabat-
Action
Sign up a petition to protect The Baltic porpoise habitat https://www.skrivunder.com/skydda_ostersjotumlaren_fran_utrotning
Partners
#simrisalg #datanetab #24hourmeals #suitehomespain #melkerkayaks #clearwrap#outdoorexperten #kleankanteen #sundayafternoons #opinel #bergansofnorway#teamsubtech #subtechsports #Primusequipment #primus #yuliyalife #ekensnaval #sarinfo#7slu #SaveTheBalticPorpoise #RäddaTumlaren #balticporpoise
Day 01, 2021-12-28
We are on our way! At 09:00 this morning we left the Lagos Marina, and we will soon see the last cell phone coverage disappear. A lot of people waved us goodbye and wished us a good journey. Conditions are perfect, blue sky, light breeze and a beautiful sea surface fog. Next stop the Canary Islands, in about two weeks!
It’s an amazing feeling to finally be on our way. Unfortunately, our autopilot which handles our steering gave up on us after only a few hours so now we have to manually steer the boat. That’s a real bummer and will slow us down a bit. We both struggle I bit with seasickness in the huge swells and Måns puked up his lunch.
Day 01, 2021-12-28
Landscape: Beautiful coastline of Portugal
Weather: Clouds 1/8 ,southwest 2 m/s
Temp: 15 degrees
Distance: 40 km
Average distance: 40 km
Total distance: 40 km
Position: South of Lagos
Health/Emotions: Both of us feel the seasickness
Description of the day
We are on our way! At 09:00 this morning we left the Lagos Marina, and we will soon see the last cell phone coverage disappear. A lot of people waved us goodbye and wished us a good journey. Conditions are perfect, blue sky, light breeze and a beautiful sea surface fog. Next stop the Canary Islands, in about two weeks!
It’s an amazing feeling to finally be on our way. Unfortunately, our autopilot which handles our steering gave up on us after only a few hours so now we have to manually steer the boat. That’s a real bummer and will slow us down a bit. We both struggle I bit with seasickness in the huge swells and Måns puked up his lunch.
Coalition Clean Baltic – Save the Baltic Porpoise
Did you know that a small whale lives in the Baltic? The Baltic Proper harbour porpoise is a small toothed whale that lives year-round in the Baltic Sea. Since the mid-1900’s numbers have declined and they are now so rare that few people are aware they even exist, and they are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Nature Conservation, IUCN. Unfortunately, Conservation effort is still lacking for this population, and we worry that it will soon be doomed to extinction unless action is taken to protect it in all countries around the Baltic. During our row across the Atlantic, we will try to raise awareness for this endangered population, so that citizens in all countries are aware of the existence of this small whale.
Aphorism
A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.
Frank Zappa
Action
Sign up a petition to protect The Baltic porpoise habitat https://www.skrivunder.com/skydda_ostersjotumlaren_fran_utrotning
Partners
#simrisalg #datanetab #24hourmeals #suitehomespain #melkerkayaks #clearwrap#outdoorexperten #kleankanteen #sundayafternoons #opinel #bergansofnorway#teamsubtech #subtechsports #Primusequipment #primus #yuliyalife #ekensnaval #sarinfo#7slu #SaveTheBalticPorpoise #RäddaTumlaren #balticporpoise
Stuck in Lagos, Portugal.
Due to weather conditions and unfavourable wind, we have been stuck in Lagos and waiting for the window of opportunity to leave into the ocean.
We arrived in Lagos on the 13th of December. Putting the boat into the water and preparing everything as much as you possibly can take us five days. But the weather didn’t allow us to leave. These winds we had are unheard of when we talk to people. Normally it can blow from the south or east a day or two, but never for three-hole weeks. The storms out on the Atlantic are way bigger than normal and also further south which mess up the normal wind patterns. This year there have been more than thirty storms when a normal year has around ten. We can’t choose the weather when we are out there on the ocean, but we can choose our start date heading out from Lagos. Once we are out there we’ll have to pray to the weather gods.
The involuntary stay in Lagos has been fantastic with a lot of rest, meeting wonderful people and enjoying nature.
We have to spend a lot of time with sailor Les Robinson aboard the sailboat Ocean Strider. A wonderful sailboat with an electric engine which he intends to sail the globe. Follow him on oceanstrider.co.uk or come along as paying crew.
Another great character is Chris Freer who has lived an exciting life full of different sail races around the world including Whitbread and he was also part of the Fastnet Race in 1979 (the Fastnet storm is one of the best books I’ve read) and also rowed a lot of rivers in his own designed rowing boat. We have had a lot to talk about, many waves of laughter and we share many life values.
Love life in Lagos and to hear all these sailing stories, but now we are very eager for adventures of our own. Let’s start this row of the Atlantic! We plan to leave port on Tuesday the 28th of December catching the outbound tide current around 9 o’clock.
Chris Freer, rower.
Les Robinson, sailor.
Arrived in Lagos, Portugal.
Hello, again friends! After five days of travelling, we have now arrived in Lagos safe and sound. Unfortunately, the weather forecast looks somewhat grim right now, so this adventure, like many others, seems to start with a waiting game. In the meantime, we roll up our sleeves and work on getting our gear and the boat ready for takeoff.
Hello, again friends! After five days of travelling, we have now arrived in Lagos safe and sound. Unfortunately, the weather forecast looks somewhat grim right now, so this adventure, like many others, seems to start with a waiting game. In the meantime, we roll up our sleeves and work on getting our gear and the boat ready for takeoff.
Albedo meets Atlantic.
300 km left.
This afternoon we stopped for some press video footage, and some cuddles with the crew. It's summer here. 300 km left to Lagos!
This afternoon we stopped for some press video footage, and some cuddles with the crew. It's summer here. 300 km left to Lagos!
Stretching by the road.
Press release
Leaving Sweden and aiming for Lagos in Portugal.
Efter ett och ett halvt års förberedelser kommer nu Sören Kjellkvist och Måns Kämpe att ro över Atlanten, med planerad start den 14'e december 2021 från den lilla hamnstaden Lagos i Portugal.
Atlantrodden beräknas ta ca 3 månader, distansen över pölen är mer än 6000 km, vilket blir över 3 miljoner roddtag, och målet är de tropiska öarna i Västindien.
Måns och Sören delar ett stort engagemang för livet i världshaven, och vill med den här expeditionen lyfta de stora frågorna om miljön i våra hav och förutsättningarna för allt liv som finns där. Det känns extra viktigt att öka medvetenheten om hur beroende vi är av livet i haven, hur vi människor förstör detta och vad vi borde göra för att vända utvecklingen till att låta haven läka, återhämta sig och leva upp igen.
"Östersjötumlaren är Östersjöns alldeles egna valart, men akut utrotningshotad och rödlistad med endast något hundratal individer kvar" säger Sören Kjellkvist.
"Politiska beslut och konkreta åtgärder måste komma på plats snarast, detta borde ha gjorts för länge sedan. Sveriges brist på agerande har fått skarp kritik från EU-kommissionen" säger Måns Kämpe.
Ida Carlén, expert hos Coalition Clean Baltic, lägger till: "Vi arbetar för att åstadkomma de förändringar som behövs för att östersjötumlaren ska kunna överleva och stabiliseras, och samarbetet med Måns och Sören ger oss chansen att lyfta frågan till en bredare publik. Många människor känner inte ens till att det finns en val-art i Östersjön, och att den är så nära att utrotas."
Under expeditionen kommer Måns och Sören att skriva dagliga rapporter, med uppdateringar om rodden samt fakta och information om östersjötumlaren. Målet är att öka medvetenheten och hjälpa till att driva fram de beslut och åtgärder som behövs för att rädda Östersjöns enda valart.
Läs allt om äventyret här: https://sorenkjellkvist.se/ro-over-atlanten/
För mer info om Östersjötumlaren: https://ccb.se/tumlare/
...
After one and a half years of preparation Sören Kjellkvist and Måns Kämpe are now going to row across The Atlantic, with the start planned for December 14'th 2021 from the small harbour town of Lagos in Portugal.
The Row across The Atlantic is estimated to take about 3 months, the distance is more than 6000 km, which means over 3 million oar strokes, and their goal is to reach the tropical islands of the Caribbean.
Måns and Sören share a deep involvement for the oceans, and with this expedition they want to bring out the big questions about the oceans and the conditions for all life in them. It feels extra important to increase awareness of how dependent we are on life in the oceans, how humans destroy this and what we should be doing to turn this development around to let the oceans heal, recover and prosper again.
"The Baltic Harbour Porpoise is the Baltic's own whale, but it is urgently close to exctinction and redlisted with only a few hundred individuals left" says Sören Kjellkvist.
"Political decisions and specific changes need to happen soon, this should have been done a long time ago. Swedens lack of action has been criticized by the EU comission" says Måns Kämpe.
Ida Carlén, expert at Coalition Clean Baltic, adds: "We work on demanding the changes required to allow the Baltic Harbour Porpoise to survive and stabilize, and the collaboration with Måns and Sören gives us a chance to bring this issue to a broader audience. A lot of people are not even aware that there is a species of whale in the Baltic, and that it is so close to extinction."
During the expedition Måns and Sören will write daily reports, with updates about the row aswell as facts and information about the Baltic Harbour Porpoise. Their goal is to raise awareness and help establish the decisions and actions required to save the only species of whale in the Baltic Sea.
Read all about the adventure here: https://sorenkjellkvist.se/ro-over-atlanten/
For more information about the Baltic Harbour Porpoise: https://ccb.se/tumlare/
...
Denna vecka kör vi genom Europa ner till Portugal med båten på trailer, och det går bra att ringa eller mejla oss direkt enligt uppgifterna nedan. Under själva rodden går det att prata med oss via satellittelefon, kontakta då vår presskontakt Andrea Kjellkvist.
Måns Kämpe
+46 70 385 25 20
mans@kampe.nu
Sören Kjellkvist
+46 733 77 97 03
soren.kjellkvist@gmail.com
Pressbilder finns för nedladdning: https://www.sorenkjellkvist.se/RoOverAtlanten.zip
Presskontakt:
Andrea Kjellkvist
+46 70 268 02 71
andrea.kjellkvist@gmail.com
Preparation to “Row over the Atlantic” – Live streaming from Almedalen
Preparation to “Row over the Atlantic” – Live streaming from Almedalen
On Tuesday 6 July 2021 from 13:00 to 14:00 CET, was a Facebook live streaming with Ida Carlén, CCB Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Officer and Måns Kämpe & Sören Kjellkvist . This online event was the opportunity to ask questions about the project to “Row over the Atlantic” to save the Baltic harbour porpoise.
The Almedalen Week (Almedalsveckan, also known as Politician’s Week in Almedalen) is an annual event taking place in July on the Swedish island of Gotland. With speeches, seminars and other political activities, it is considered to be the most important forum in Swedish politics.
During this event it was be possible to see the boat and an online event was available to ask questions about the Baltic harbour porpoise and the project to row over the Atlantic.
To watch the recording of the event.
To see the Facebook event.
To know more about the project.
You can also follow us on our social media dedicated to the endangered Baltic harbour porpoise.
Instagram
Facebook
Why row over the Atlantic?
Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) and the Swedish adventurers Måns Kämpe and Sören Kjellkvist collaborate to save the endangered Baltic whale, the harbour porpoise. Måns and Sören will during the winter of 2021-22 row over the Atlantic from Portugal to the Caribbean, a journey of about 6000 kilometers which will take around 3 months.
Throughout the rowing, Måns and Sören will write a daily report (both in English and Swedish) by publishing updates on the journey and facts & figures on the harbour porpoise. The aim is to raise awareness about the Baltic harbour porpoise, which currently has less than 500 animals left and is near extinction, due to bycatch, contaminants and underwater noise. Urgent action can still prevent the extinction and save the Baltic porpoise.
To know more about the Baltic harbour porpoise.
To know more about Måns and Sören.
