A British rower who died as he tried to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat to raise money for a mental health charity confidently told his friends he had the physical and mental ability to pull off his doomed voyage.
Michael Holt, 54, died 700 miles into the challenge to raise money for the charity Mind in memory of his friend who committed suicide by crossing the ocean by himself – four weeks after setting off in Gran Canaria.
After two years of training, the father-of-one set off on January 27 for the 2942 mile journey which was expected to take anywhere between 40 to 110 days to row across, using a boat called ‘True Blue.’
Newly unearthed videos revealed the rower claimed that his preparation was ‘absolutely perfect’ and ‘going well.’
In a video posted to Facebook just a few weeks before he set off on his fateful journey saw him showing off his vessel, which can reveal was a refitted prototype boat made by Rannoch, a specialist boatmaker, he told his friends he was more ready than ever to take on the challenge.
Holt posted several videos of himself rowing in preparation for the journey
can reveal that True Blue, the vessel Michael used, was a refurbished prototype of a Rannoch R10, made by a specialist boatmaker
Michael said in one video: ‘I’ve got a certain swagger because I know I have the ability, both physically and mentally, to pull this off as crazy as it is’
‘After all the hard work, blood, literally, sweat and tears, I can’t believe I’m here. I’m ready to go.
‘I’m extremely motivated, I’m very relaxed, measured. I’ve got a certain swagger because I know I have the ability, both physically and mentally, to pull this off as crazy as it is.
‘I cannot wait.’
He coolly spoke about his plan to use the the current of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the winds, to his advantage.
‘The Atlantic pleases itself. There are a load of strong winds coming up from the north. If I try that [now], I’ll end up in Greenland.
‘We’re expecting northeasterly [winds], so the winds will come from the north. There’s an equatorial current anyway dragging me south, so that’s the plan.
In a later video, Michael confidently showed off several pieces of technology, including GPS, solar panels and radar reflectors he had attached to his vessel, and said in the video that he didn’t need to do much more to prepare for the crossing.
‘Another hour and a bit, we should be alright’, he said.
Michael used ‘one of the original Rannoch R10 prototype boats’ to try and cross the Atlantic, the boatmaker said last year on its social media pages.
The company said that Michael’s voyage was the fifth time it had been used to cross the vast ocean, adding that it completed a ‘service and electrical refit’ of the vessel before handing it over to the rower.
Michael Holt (pictured), 54, died 700 miles into the charity challenge to cross the ocean by himself – four weeks after setting off in Gran Canaria
In one video he confidently showed off several pieces of technology, including GPS, solar panels and radar reflector, that he had attached to his vessel
Holt also posted several videos of himself rowing in preparation for the journey, as well as one where he said he had gone climbing in Snowdonia, Wales.
On top of this, he shared a video of all the kit he was taking with him, which included several bottles of shower gel, two boxes of cotton buds and a dozen packs of baby wipes that he said would be used to ‘keep me and the boat clean.’
Mr Holt was posting updates throughout the journey – and told friends he was suffering with sea sickness when he began to feel poorly.
He was en route from Gran Canaria to Barbados and had already battled strong winds, losing an oar, and a shark attacking his rudder before he fell ill.
Shortly after telling them he felt ill, his family said they had lost contact with him and alerted local rescue services.
Mr Holt, a type 1 diabetic, was found dead in his cabin two days later.
Mr Holt was posting updates throughout the journey – and told friends he was suffering with sea sickness when he began to feel poorly
He set off on January 27 for the 2942 mile journey which was expected to take between 40 – 110 days to row across
His brother David said: ‘Last night the fishing vessel Noruego accepted a tasking from Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and made directly for Michael’s coordinates. Very sadly, upon arrival, Michael was found dead inside his cabin.
‘Of course this was not the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row in excess of 700 miles in the process.
‘An achievement in itself,’ he added in the update on Mr Holt’s Instagram.
‘This is a huge shock to myself, his wife Lynne and daughter Scarlett and my parents, not to mention wider family and friends.
‘Many thanks for the kind words and wishes that you have already sent us during the past few days. They mean a great deal to all the family.’
Mr Holt, originally from Porthmadog, North Wales, had been living in the Wirral and was raising money for Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services.
He already fundraised £2,500 for Mind and another £3,500 for Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS).
The experienced rower said he chose the charity Mind because of a friend who committed suicide last year.
Shortly after telling them he felt ill, his family said they had lost contact with him and alerted local rescue services. Mr Holt, a type 1 diabetic, was found dead in his cabin (pictured behind Mr Holt) two days later – four weeks after setting off
‘Mind Cymru was a charity that I never expected to raise money for. However, such is my desire to do something on behalf of my fantastic friend that it is my absolute pleasure to raise funds on behalf of this amazing charity,’ Mr Holt wrote on his Just Giving page.
His initial fundraiser was set up to benefit Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services, which Mr Holt said he was a business customer of for 11 years.
He wrote on his fundraising page: ‘With the current economic situation, certain individuals and communities need more help than others and I believe that by helping to fundraise for LCVS, I can help in some way.’
Just days before his tragic death, Mr Holt lost an oar and cut his hand when he was ‘nearly knocked overboard’ by a strong wave.
Mr Holt also had three killer whales swimming around his boat at one point of the journey.
His family said he was ‘well prepared’ after training for two years and he had a spare oar in case of such emergencies and had medical supplies to avoid infections.
In an update on Sunday posted to Mr Holt’s Instagram, the family said spotter planes had been sent up at around 6.30am on Saturday, but reported that he was not on the vessel at the time.
‘Fishing vessel Noruego was tasked with heading to Michael’s position yesterday,’ the post on Sunday said.
‘This vessel is underway and is expected to arrive around 17:00 UK time today. In the meantime Omnicron Atlas, a tanker on route to Venice has also responded to the mayday, and is now at the scene.
‘Mr Holt’s brother David has direct communication with the skipper of this vessel,’ it added.
‘Due to the vessel’s type and sheer size, trying to get down to the rowing boat is likely to be impossible, however they will remain in place to support the fishing vessel when it arrives.
‘The family thank you for all of your well wishes – when there is a substantial update – we’ll update you here.’
Before his death, an update on social media said that Mr Holt believed his illness was due to taking antibiotics.
‘This would be a problem for anyone – but as a type 1 diabetic this adds a much greater element of concern,’ the post read.
This is why he changed his plan to row to Barbados and instead aimed for Cape Verde, 300 nautical miles to the south of him at the time.
The post added: ‘Michael is upset, and doesn’t want to let people down, but also understands that his life is far more valuable than this crossing, and he needs to get to land.
‘From a diabetes perspective, he has plenty of electrolytes, and his bloods are still being automatically monitored, it doesn’t seem to be diabetes that is making him so ill, but it’s elevating the risk, and it’s important he manages that accordingly.’
Mr Holt, originally from Porthmadog, North Wales, had been living in the Wirral and was raising money for Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services
An update on February 15 told how his boat was attacked by a terrifying 10ft shark – believed to be a fearsome oceanic white-tip. The post said: ‘Then something very unusual happened; the shark seemed to try and bite the rudder! Michael could hear and feel the commotion, and in his own words “it sounded like the shark had a party with my rudder”!’
A friend who shared his story on social media and was in regular contact with Mr Holt posted last night: ‘He didn’t have any way of sending back imagery, but he would call in every couple of days with an update so that I could update his growing army of supporters.
‘He saw some amazing things out there – he had three killer whales swimming around his boat, and a large oceanic white-tip shark trying to munch on his rudder!
‘Monday was my last phone call with him, he didn’t sound well and had decided to head to Cape Verde instead of to Barbados.
‘I asked him to get in touch if he needed a rescue but he explained he was alright and would make his way to land himself. Sadly that appears to have been the last call he made.
‘I first met Michael a couple of years ago – so full of energy, so excited about his Atlantic crossing – he was the sort of person you wouldn’t forget if you met him, and he just oozed passion and excitement. Getting a word in edgeways was a real challenge!
‘Despite the outcome, I don’t regret supporting Michael – quite the opposite. I’m immensely proud to have supported him.
‘Just by launching his boat in the name of chasing his dreams, he did more than most people will do in a lifetime. Rest In Peace Mike.’
In 2015, Mr Holt underwent double reconstructive surgery to both his shoulders, a treatment which involved putting some 20 titanium rods into his body
Mr Holt, originally from Porthmadog, North Wales, had been living in the Wirral and was raising money for Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services. He attempted the challenge after two years of training
An update on February 15 told how his boat was attacked by a terrifying 10ft shark – believed to be a fearsome oceanic white-tip.
The post said: ‘Then something very unusual happened; the shark seemed to try and bite the rudder! Michael could hear and feel the commotion, and in his own words “it sounded like the shark had a party with my rudder”!
‘This is extremely unusual to happen, and probably a case that it was hunting a fish under the boat and grabbed the rudder by mistake – but Michael took it all in his stride, and once the sharks had left, he just carried on rowing.’
Mr Holt was an experienced rower and planned to row 15 hours a day during the challenge.
Before he set off on his solo rowing challenge, Mr Holt told the Liverpool Echo: ‘I feel very calm and relaxed, I have been working nonstop and know I’m going to do the job. I love rowing, and I am in a good place.’
Last year, the football fan rowed solo across the Irish Sea from Porthmadog Harbour to Wicklow and back to raise money for Porthmadog FC.
In 2015, Mr Holt underwent double reconstructive surgery to both his shoulders, a treatment which involved putting some 20 titanium rods into his body.
He said the surgery was required due to a ‘self-inflicted accident’ linked to the management of his diabetes which he could not remember because he was so ill.
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.