RICHARD WOOD
Biography
I was born in Kent on March 22nd 1956 and grew up in the countryside in a house my parents built after the War at the top of Brasted Chart. I went to sea as a Deck Cadet when I was 16, joining the New Zealand Shipping Company that was in the process of being taken over by P&O. I ended up in their General Cargo Division on the Persian Gulf – Australia run. I spent a year at sea and then returned for shore based training in Plymouth but decided the course of my life would take a different direction. So, to cut a long story short, I went into youth work, trained at Westhill College Birmingham where I met and married my wife Usha in 1977 and subsequently had three Children Nayna now 24, John 21 and Joshua 11.
I did a great deal of ocean sailing in my teens with the Ocean Youth Club and also learnt navigational skills at school and at sea, plus a whole load of seamanship. I also built a plywood sea kayak and Canadian Canoe which set me in good stead for the 2001 ocean rowing challenge.
After my first failed attempt in 2001 I came back in 2004 to complete the unfinished business I started back in 1997.
I left La Gomera in the Canary Islands on Tuesday 20th January 2004. 101 days later I crossed the official finish line, longitude 59 degrees 37minutes west on May 1st. As a result I am now part of one of the most exclusive 'clubs' in the world, not only those who have completed an ocean row but also those who have successfully rowed solo and been at sea for more than 100 days. It was the toughest thing I done have in my life which makes success so much sweeter.
Since my return I set up my own business on 1 st November 2004 using the name of the boat in which I successfully completed the trans-Atlantic crossing. Named after my three children I now work under the name Najojo. Apart from the presentation work (click here to view) you can find out about my other activities by looking elsewhere on the Row Extreme site or by visiting my other website www.najojo.com
The Atlantic Voyage
St. Richards Hospice