Tori Murden - First Woman Rower To Cross Atlantic Ocean

TORI MURDEN

The Voyage Begins

Publication Date: October 1999

On September 4,1999, Tori Murden departed from Louisville International Airport to begin her latest attempt to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean. This time Tori is rowing from east to west. At 8:00 a.m., Monday, September 13, Tori rowed out of the harbor at Los Gigantes in the Canary Islands. She rowed in her boat "Star Atlantic II" side-by-side with Diana Hoff from Norway. The two rowers officially started their Atlantic crossing, each attempting to become the first woman to row an ocean solo. The sponsors from Sector, both support teams, and various photographers and press people followed Tori and Diana in chase boats until 9:30 a.m. They quickly separated with Tori heading directly out to sea and Diana heading more southward.

The two women are rowing boats built from the same basic kit. Both Murden and Hoff have downplayed the idea of competition. Murden said that rowing at the same time as Hoff would be incentive for both to row quickly. "And quick is good," Murden said, "The quicker you get across, the safer you are."

The 23-foot boat Tori is rowing this year is a rebuilt and improved version of the American Pearl - the same boat she used in both 1997 and 1998. The American Pearl was shipped to the Canary Islands by United Parcel Service, free of charge, in late August. A few of Tori's support group, known as The American Pearls, traveled with Tori to make final adjustments to the boat before she took off.

She expressed gratitude to friends and volunteers who spent countless hours working on the boat. "It's like the Taj Mahal now," she said of the American Pearl, recalling the time she spent confined in the cabin on her last solo attempt.

This time, she'll sleep in a cabin with more foam padding and a smooth, rather than sharp-edged, rib reinforcing the ceiling. The cabin ceiling also is a few inches higher so Murden can sit up when she's inside. Last year, she had two choices when she was in her cabin - lie down or sit hunched over.

Tori embarked on a similar effort in mid-June of 1998 as she attempted to row from west to east from Nags Head, North Carolina to Brest, France. After 85 days alone at sea, and after having rowed 2,653 nautical miles, Tori had to be rescued after both she and her boat were severely battered by Hurricane Danielle. The storm tossed her boat end-over-end, injuring Murden's shoulder so badly that she eventually called for help.

On September 7, 1998, she was picked up by the ship "Independent Spirit" 950 miles west of Brest. Although Tori did not accomplish her original goal of rowing all the way across the ocean, she did set a world record that she still holds. She has spent more time at sea than any other woman solo rower.

Although never reaching the west coast of France, Murden never once used the words 'failure' or 'disaster' to describe her journey. Those words don't exist in Murden's vocabulary. The 35-year-old Louisville, KY resident has climbed mountains on four continents. She was the first of two women and six Americans to ski to the geographic South Pole, covering 750 miles in average minus 25 degree temperatures. "A typical walk in the park," Murden said only half-jokingly.

In addition to her efforts to row solo across the Atlantic, Tori participated in the Atlantic Rowing Race in 1997 with rowing partner and high school classmate Louise Graff. After the original start of the race, the two took a tow back to shore when Tori became gravely ill with food poisoning. After Tori's medical condition had stabilized, she and Louise were allowed to re-enter the race. Although making a valiant and successful effort to catch up with the other competitors, they turned back because of mechanical problems.

Murden actually doesn't believe the things she does are all that extreme. "They demand endurance and discipline rather than just getting an adrenaline rush jumping off a cliff. If I do my job properly, I will never get an adrenaline rush."

Murden is more interested in learning about herself and about life and what the human being can accomplish. "I use the back country as my classroom. I see what I can accomplish in civilization by what I can do in nature."

She said it is also about being comfortable and at ease with herself; or letting go of feeling puffed up and wanting to impress others with her intelligence. "It's not about impressing others. It's about walking the walk and talking the talk in a way that everyone can get it and come along for the ride."

If all goes as she hopes, Murden will be at sea about three months, arriving in Barbados, in the West Indies, during the Christmas season. If Tori reaches her goal, she will be both the first American and the first woman to row solo across an ocean.

For updates and information on Tori or the American Pearl, check out Tori's Website at: http://www.adept.net/americanpearl/index.htm or the Ocean Rowing Society's website at: http://www.oceanrowing.com