The Time He Got Rescued Mid-Training
Not every story about a future Atlantic solo rower needs to be about grit and endurance. Sometimes it's about knowing exactly when to ask for help — and having a good time once it arrives.
In July 2024, months before his actual crossing, Marc took Dan-Dan out for a training row from Durban, heading toward Richards Bay and back. It was meant to be a straightforward out-and-back. It didn't stay that way.
Faster than planned, and further than planned
Marc made better time than expected on the way out — good news, in theory. Less good: the wind direction shifted sooner than forecast, putting him on a trajectory that, if nothing changed, would have carried him well past Richards Bay entirely. Left unchecked, he was looking at a very likely landing somewhere in Mozambique by the next morning.
In a rowing boat, there's no simply turning around and powering back against wind and swell into a harbour — that's not how these boats work. So Marc called in the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and asked to be towed into Richards Bay.
"Landing up in Mozambique would have been no problem for him"
The NSRI's own account of the rescue captures Marc's attitude perfectly. Their crew, out on a routine exercise at the time, located him near the Patinga wreck and towed him in using their rescue craft.
"He was safe and in good spirits, and considering the challenge that he is training for — landing up in Mozambique would have been no problem for him — but we were happy to assist him."
In other words: this wasn't panic. It was a sensible, low-drama call from someone who'd rather lose a few hours to a tow than push his luck against changing conditions during a training run.
Rugby, a braai, and a place to sleep
What happened next says as much about Marc as the rescue itself. Rather than heading straight home, he joined the NSRI crew back at their Richards Bay station — watched some rugby, had a braai, and stayed the night before returning to Durban the next day.
Why we're telling this one
It's a good reminder that even someone who'd go on to win his class in one of the toughest ocean races in the world isn't immune to a wind shift going the wrong way. The difference between a good outcome and a bad one, out on the water, often comes down to making the sensible call early — and Marc did exactly that.
