An Ivybridge woman is planning to row the the Irish Sea to raise funds for three charities ahead of rowing the Atlantic in December.

Arabella Lloyd’s ocean rowing journey will start with crossing The Irish Sea from Cork to Caernarfon at the beginning of August then round the Isle of Mull at the end of the month ahead of the big challenge.

She said: ‘‘I’ll be leaving Tenerife on December 3 2023, missing out on my Dad’s 80th birthday, Christmas and New Year as I’ll be out on the big blue far from land until mid to late January 2024!

‘All of this with 11 as yet unknown souls, unsupported and non stop, two hours on the oars and two hours off for 40+ days and nights.

‘This is going to be the biggest and possibly the most crazy challenge of my life,”

Arabella said she had never rowed before she signed up and so turned to The Royal Marines Association Gig Club for help.

“I mean if they can’t get me prepare for this trip then who can?,” she said.

‘‘The voyage is expected to take approx 45 days rowing three hours on and three hours off during which time I’ll need to wash, eat and sleep and carry out any boat maintenance required.

“I’ll be rowing with 11 other teammates who at this point are all total strangers from all over the world- we don’t meet until the end of August when we will row around the Isle of Mull from Oban in Scotland.

‘‘Once we leave the shores of Tenerife there’s no stopping. It’s 24 hours a day, seven days a week until we reach land in Antigua. We will eat, sleep, row repeat- we will be carrying all our food and making all our water using a water maker- people always ask “but what about the toilet?” All I can say is that we have a lovely bucket!!”

She is supporting the Marine Conservation Society, Royal Marines Association- Gig Club and Sea Shepherd UK

If people would prefer to donate to the Royal Marines Association Gig Club they can at Arabella’s RMA-GIG fundraising page.

To find out more you can visit https://tinyurl.com/2awk6m56