Perth man Rob Barton touches down in Africa after leaving Carnarvon on 8358km solo row across the Indian OceanJessica MoroneyMidwest Times
Perth mortgage broker Rob Barton has become the first person to row solo non-stop from Australia to Africa, completing his Guinness World Record setting journey in 86 days and raising more than $100,000 for a mental health charity.
Barton set off in his 21ft boat from Carnarvon on April 26 with a plan to row continuously across the Indian Ocean until he reached Tanzania, on Africa’s east coast. He reached his destination on Friday, July 21.
He expected it to take him 180 days, but was able to complete the epic 8358km mission in 86 days, rowing about 12 to 15 hours every day, completely naked and perched on a sheep skin-wrapped seat to avoid salt burns.
“I had capsized three times,” he said.
“Two of those occasions I was on deck so I was thrown from the boat into the ocean and I had to swim back. I was tethered to the boat at all times so I could pull myself back to the boat.
“One time I was fast asleep and ended up with toolboxes and stuff all on top of me. It wasn’t a nice way to wake up in the middle of the night.”
Aside from minor sores and some blisters on his hands he got away scot-free. Barton said the biggest challenge of all was sleeping on a wet bed every night.
“Once anything gets covered in salt it just doesn’t dry. It dries during the day when it’s sunny and then as soon as the sun goes it just absorbs water from the atmosphere and it’s wet. It’s not pleasant,” he said.
He spent the whole mission alone, except for an encounter with a Mauritius coast guard, who woke him from his sleep about 60 days into his journey.
“They were really nice, they came and offered me breakfast,” Barton said, laughing. “They offered me fresh food because, of course, I hadn’t had any fresh food, which sadly I had to decline because I was doing this as a solo and unsupported crossing.”
Barton realised the importance of mental health awareness when his daughter, Jess, attempted suicide in 2021, and to help draw attention to mental health illness in youth, he decided to take on the mammoth row to Africa to raise funds for youth mental health charity, zero2hero.
Barton has so far raised $108,000 out of his $300,000 target and is now onto his next feat — sourcing a way to get his vessel home so he can get back to reality, working as a mortgage broker.
“I’m trying to ship the boat back to Perth at the moment, so a shipping sponsor, anyone who wants to help out with shipping, that’s where we are at the moment is trying to get the boat shipped back,” he said.
Down the track, Barton plans purchase a sailing boat to voyage out on the same route, this time stopping on every island possible along the way.
“It would have been great to have been able to stop in Mauritius or Cocos, all the different islands that you go past on the way and meet some people,” he said.
“That’s my plan but that’s probably years away because I have to save up and buy a boat.”
Last week also saw a group of four finish a mammoth row from Geraldton to Mauritius, just one day shy of the world record. They were raising funds to fight Parkinson’s disease.
For more information on Barton’s journey or to contribute to his fundraiser visit mycause.com.au/p/292935/australia2africa
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