Rowing the Pacific: 7,000 Miles from Japan to San Francisco

About Mick Dawson

Mick Dawson was born in Boston Lincolnshire on the east coast of England in 1964. After leaving school in 1980 he joined the Royal Marines in which he served for eleven years before moving on to a career as a professional sailor skippering private yachts around the globe. Looking for a challenge in 2001 he rowed across the Atlantic Ocean together with his brother Steve. In the eight years that followed Mick became one of the most experienced and successful ocean rowers in the world completing a second transatlantic row and attempting two solo rows across the North Pacific Ocean. Finally in 2009 along with his friend and rowing partner Chris Martin he successfully rowed across the North Pacific from Choshi Japan to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco a voyage of nearly six-and-a-half months of rowing and a total of almost 7000 miles. He and Chris hold a Guinness World Record as the first team to row the Pacific Ocean from West to East. It is one of the last great firsts.Mick now lives in East Sussex with his partner Natalie. His new project The Cockleshell Endeavour www.cockleshellendeavour.com in conjunction with the Royal Marines Kayaking Association is designed to assist former and serving service personnel who are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder or physical injuries. The project also raises money for the Royal Marines Charity www.theroyalmarinescharity.org.ukSince writing this book having previously dismissed the possibility of another rowing adventure Mick has none the less successfully rowed the Pacific Ocean once more. Rowing from Monterey Bay to Honolulu with his friend and blind veteran Steve Sparkes. Another world first as 'Sparky' became the first visually impaired person to have rowed the Pacific. Mick is a filmmaker motivational speaker and author. He still sails professionally and doesn't rule out further adventures. www.189days.com