The Sea Fox

CTV news;

"I left in the middle of the hurricane season and this year is a terrible year for hurricanes. There were eight scheduled."

Rommel's boat capsized five times in all and when he saw that it was letting in water, he decided to use the distress beacons and ask for help.

Crewmen from the Federal Elbe, which was relatively close, plucked Rommel from stormy seas about 600 kilometres east of St. John's, Nfld, last Thursday.

Oh, I should mention that he was in a rowboat, attempting a solo crossing of the North Atlantic.

He said abandoning his boat was out of the question.

"Rule No. 1 when you're in trouble is "Never leave your boat' even if it's half sunk."

Rommel said travelling alone is a "special thing" and "pretty intense."

"You change psychologically. I think you become a bit nutty as well. You start talking to yourself."

Our plucky oarsman calls himself the "black sheep" of the family, though, apparently, he's not the first.

Posted by Kate at September 9, 2004 1:35 AM