Among six sailors attempting to make history by rowing all the way to the magnetic North Pole is Dave Mans, the son Keith Mans, a Milford on Sea resident and councilor at the National Park Authority. Dave’s epic journey is now underway and their 450-mile voyage is expected to take between four and six weeks to complete.
The expedition is led by Polar explorer Jock Wishart, and they are rowing in a specially designed craft, built by Rossiter Yachts in Christchurch, Dorset.
The expedition party also includes a BBC cameraman and adventurer, Mark Beaumont. Mark is making a documentary about the expedition for TV. (My wife suggested that I should apply to join the crew, apparently it would be good for my soul and I need the exercise. She said she would really miss me for six weeks, but she would cope with the disappointment. I suspect that really means, it would be great to lose you for six weeks, so I can go shopping endlessly, watch Eastenders without me loudly tutting, and meet with friends to talk about nothing for hours on end. However, when I discovered they were not staying in luxury hotels each night I became less enchanted with the idea. I then considered my aversion to the cold and hard work, and decided it was best I stay in the warm, continue to irritate my wife, and just read about how they get on.)
Dave Mans is a 28-year-old and currently serving as an Army Officer with The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment in London. His eight years’ service has seen him serve in locations such as Afghanistan, Nigeria and Norway. To gain his place on the team, Dave beat a list of 47 international competitors who were invited to compete head-to-head in a Pole Position Challenge Day in November last year. They were tested on their physical and mental abilities, took part in a two and a half hour endurance row, group interviews and psychometric tests. (Hmmm, not sure I would have got through that bit.)
Dave’s father, Keith was also in the military, having had a career as a pilot with the Royal Air Force. He was the Member of Parliament for Wyre in Lancashire for ten years and from 1998 Chief Executive of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is Chairman of the Oakhaven Hospice, Chairman of the Air League and a Trustee of the Hampshire Air Ambulance Trust. It is evident where Dave gets his energy from!
If you would like to follow Dave's exciting adventure, you can do so on the weblink below:
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