 OAR TOGETHER NOW By Jon Doel
NEARLY nine months ago Gwent rower Rob Munslow's record-breaking solo journey across the Atlantic came to a dramatic but triumphant end.
After more than 64 days alone at sea, a drained Munslow crashed into rocks on the Scilly Isle of Rosevear to become the first man to complete a solo land-to-land crossing of the Atlantic.
It was an epic, almost incomprehensible journey.
But for one of the three-metre-long oars that helped steer him through the storms and towering 40ft waves, the early hours of August 31, 2006, were just the start of another marathon adventure.
An amazing 265 days after being ripped from Munslow's hand and swept away into the darkness of the Atlantic during those panic-stricken final moments, Munslow's oar finally made it to land - 500 miles away on the Cumbrian coast.
 On Tuesday night, bank worker Sam Spodofora, 58, stumbled across the oar on the shores of Morecambe Bay, near his home in the small Edwardian resort of Grange-over-Sands.
An inquisitive Mr Spodofora, who was taking an evening stroll with wife Maggie, investigated the long carbon-fibre rod lying in the sand and contacted Munslow through the website address robmunslow.com that was emblazoned along the oar.
The oar is now set to take pride of place on Mr Munslow's wall, as a permanent reminder of his feat. It was worth around £400 before its confrontation with Scilly Isles rock tore the blade from its shaft.
Mr Spodofora said: "I thought it looked a bit strange so I decided I would take a look at it.
"I didn't know anything about Rob but when I saw the website address I went online and read his diary from his journey. It's a pretty unique place for it to turn up."
Mr Munslow, from Monmouth, added: "It's amazing really. I can't believe it has travelled all the way up the Irish channel, the length of England and Wales.
"I've got some friends heading up that way who have offered to pick it up from Sam.
"It got me all the way to Rosevear so it will be great to have it back."
7:20am Friday 25th May 2007 |
