Losing Sight of Shore

This is a wonderful documentary depicting the triumph of human spirit in the face of great adversity. It is an absolute treat to watch! So many things resonated with me that I got quite a clear picture of how much determination & discipline a feat like this really takes. Everyone has a frightening & daunting thing that they must to do in order to find their inner selves. The movie inspires all to follow our bliss and do what makes us feel fulfilled even if it is difficult for others to understand why we must do it in the first place. Ultimately, we are answerable to our own self! I loved the way Natalia Cohen summed it all up, "We all have our own Pacific to cross".

The open ocean fascinates me. That big sheet that is the visible surface and the unexplored, vast void beneath. If I'm honest, it scares me too. So this... this I find incredible. Four women rowing unsupported across the Pacific from the US to Australia. That's 8579 miles.... eight thousand five hundred and seventy nine miles! Rowing. These people are nuts! They're also bloody amazing. They talk about being petrified and fascinated on Day 1 at spotting a whale, I think petrified and fascination sums this up quite well. Things go wrong, with false starts and damaged equipment, that pushes their mental strength to the limit. But in the words of their friend who this adventure is in honour of "What do you do when things get difficult? Just keep going". Aside some stuff shot on land, talking about the preparation, it's all self shot which makes it feel really personal. When a tropical storm hits 400 miles away from Hawaii on Day 57, the camera shakes with a ferocity that would terrify an action film director. The equator looks like a bonkers place, weird weather, weird light, killer currents. It looks to be some of the harshest conditions, as they lose miles rather than gain, but there's no respite. 2 hours rowing, 2 hours rest, repeat, over and over. They are absolute machines! but the humour and mental fortitude is incredible and keeps them going. It takes much longer than planned, over 250 days, even to the point of running out of food, losing power. How they don't just break as the final push closes in is remarkable. The whole thing is magnificent, but as is said towards the end of the film, "It's not about the finish, it's about the journey".

How did they survive the big waves !!! They just filmed minutes of their trip !! Which brings wonders & questions of what happened in between these hours...!

How you call it achievement while you getting help every now and then!!

Punch of lies

Having rowed an ocean myself I felt every single muscle tweak, mental questioning and fear of failure that these 6 ladies endured for 9 months. This is a great documentary and one routes for every single one of them and their own personal journeys. I recall chatting with Laura on an ergo outside Twickenham on a cold and windy day back in 2013 I think and knew that she had the "right stuff". Enjoy, I did.

I watch a lot of sports/adventure films and a) it's rare they feature women b) they often contain a lot of ego. This is not the case with this film. This is a group of women who are modest and supportive of each other, there are no 'stars' or exhibitionists, and thank goodness no gratuitous 'sexy' shots. This is probably because the film is also made by a woman. It is honest and genuine about how hard the expedition is, it gives a fantastic insight into the relentlessness of a journey like this and the mental battles that the women go through. I both cried and gasped in awe. It is thoroughly enjoyable and really suitable for all (just one swearing moment) - show it to your kids...these women are fantastic role models for all.