LAST WORD
Cayle Royce of Row 2 Recovery
O 112
n waking up from his 48-day coma, Cayle Royce was unsure of what the world might hold for a man with his injuries. His friend and colleague, Captain
James Kayll, approached him in hospital and promised that he would help to get him back on the water. Royce, born in South Africa, joined the Light Dragoons in 2009 and was injured in May 2012 whilst serving as a sharpshooter with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force in Afghanistan. Royce stepped on an IED which resulted in the loss of both legs above the knee, multiple amputations to the fingers of his left hand, neck trauma and facial scarring.
Was rowing the Atlantic the toughest thing you have ever done? Absolutely. I have been in some extreme environments and worked to some really brutal routines. But nothing compares to the relentless nature of ocean rowing. The sea is completely merciless, the battering of huge waves never seems to stop. The non-stop two hours on, two hours off shifts, the salt water sores and not enough food wear you down, no matter how tough you think you are.
Q&A
Cayle Royce
The double amputee ex-soldier on rowing the Atlantic.
PHOTOGRAPHY BEN DUFFY
What were the best moments during this adventure? The first was after weeks of being pummelled by the worst conditions the race has ever seen, and thousands of miles at sea, we were still neck and neck with our main rivals and great friends, the Atlantic Polo Team. The second was the immensely humbling reception we received landing in
Antigua. It was absolutely mind-blowing to see the number of people who had come to support us, and the electric and emotional atmosphere. I will never forget it.
Rowing with a fixed seat position, how did your back and arms hold up? I was very fortunate to have my father in La Gomera before the row started to work wonders with my seat. It was a system never used for ocean rowing before; he did a fantastic job. The first week of the row was really hard going for my back and arms. It was a good 10 minutes into each shift before they would loosen up and stop feeling stiff and sore. I soon got used to it.
Would you row another ocean? Sure thing. Myself and James Kayll are planning to launch a Row2Recovery Pacific row for May 2015, from California to Australia.
What next adventures do you have planned? This August I will be taking part in an expedition with Flying4Heroes. Eight wounded servicemen will fly Paratrikes from Kilimanjaro up the Rift Valley to Mount Kenya. ROW360
ROW360 // Issue 001
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116