SPEAKING to the Limerick Post and with just 180 miles to the finish of his epic solo rowing voyage across the Atlantic, Limerick’s Sean McGowan is poised to be the first Irish man to complete the mammoth task of rowing the ocean.

Emotional, but still able to draw on the huge support that has followed him, Sean told this journalist just what it was like as land and the finish line loomed.

“It has been much harder than I thought, my body is wrecked and mentally I am reaching the end. I’ve been away from my family for too long but I have come so far, I have to keep going. Big waves crash over the boat in my face constantly and it is like a washing machine here at times.”

The “highlight” of each day comes when his wife, Lorraine, sends messages of support to his satellite phone from those that know and even those that don’t know Sean. “Lorraine would type out the messages and send them by text to the sat phone and when I was feeling low I could read them in the morning and the evening. People I don’t even know were sending messages and my brothers have been great keeping the campaign going to raise money for  the charity. That has kept me going.”

Battling a swirling current that has kept him perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Sean notes the milestones that he must reach in order to make history.

“The magic number is 59 degrees 26 minutes and when I hit that I will have crossed the Atlantic Ocean and after that it’s like threading a needle to the finish line as i have a tricky route in to follow. I am aiming to be finished by Monday but this Thursday I’m hoping to cross that magic line and make history.|.

But his finish is not without danger and Sean is only too well aware of that.

“Two boats have already had to be rescued after running aground on reefs. I’m still in the middle of the ocean and can see nothing but water. I’m not there yet.”

With over 115 days rowing at sea, Sean will have one day to ready his boat to be shipped home when he finishes in English Harbour in Antigua.

“Tuesday and Wednesday, all going well, I will get the boat ready to ship home and then I hope to land in Shannon next Friday. I will miss my daughter’s confirmation, but Lorraine will be there to support her. This has been so hard for them and I really can’t wait to get home to them”.

Earlier this week, Mayor Kevin Kiely told  a meeting of the city council that everyone in the city is rooting for Sean McGowan and that he will be inviting him into City Hall to a special reception when he returns to Limerick.

Click the tracking image on the right to follow the final stages of Sean's epic journey and click his profile picture on top to send messages of support to his facebook page.