British maritime explorer Dom Mee and Team Quest cast off from La Palma in the Canary Islands on Sunday on their attempt at breaking the Atlantic Rowing Record.

The team comprising Mee (pictured left), Ed James, Tom Rendell and Pete Bird set off at 1000 on Sunday well prepared but a little apprehensive. Commenting Rendell said: “We all come from a Royal Marines background and in my opinion you could put any four ‘Royals’ in a rowing boat and they would be able to do this. I now spend a lot of time training people in the gym at Clifton College in Bristol pushing them on, now it is time for me and the team to step out of the comfort zone and see how far we can push ourselves.”

Mee’s last report was from 12 miles off the coast of La Palma, the crew were all well but they were experiencing some headwinds which were not forecast: “It is probably just a local effect,” commented Mee. “Although we are 12 miles offshore the effects of the Sahara desert in North West Africa are far reaching, we will be sticking to our plan and hope to be enjoying a following breeze shortly.”

The team’s aim is to make the crossing to Barbados in less than 35 days. The record they hope to beat is currently held by the French set in 1992 and known as the ‘Blue Ribbon of Ocean Rowing’.