Comment

Five thousand laps

The local papers are full of news about Olly Hicks. It's a "local lad done good" story: he's just completed a solo row across the Atlantic. Even the nationals have picked up the story.

What kind of person would love rowing so much they'd undertake this feat? It turns out Olly comes from Thorpeness, a quirky village just up the coast from here that was built round an artificial boating lake. Clearly rowing round the Meare had lost its appeal.

Crossing the ocean is just like lapping the Meare five thousand times, with fewer tourists, and bigger waves. I hope he brings the boat home; it'd be fun to see out there on the lake.