Across the Indian Ocean

 . 

Published in New York Able Newspaper 

 .  . 

Angela Madson of California is part of an eight-person crew who broke several records rowing across the Indian Ocean in 58 days.

 . 

They set the world record for the fastest Indian Ocean crossing by oar. Madson and one of her crewmates, Helen Taylor, were the first women to row across the Indian Ocean. Madson became the first person with a disability to row across the Indian Ocean and to row across two oceans (Indian in 2009 and Atlantic in 2008).

 . 

Their route was from Western Australia to Mauritius, an island nation off the coast of Africa, which totals 3,100 nautical miles. The boat is 36 feet long and six feet wide.

“Ocean rowing is like trying to do everything including eating, sleeping, and rowing while riding a bull 24 hours a day from one point of land across thousands of miles of deep ocean water to another point of land, taking months to complete,” Angela stated on her internet blog.

 . 

They incurred severe weather conditions that caused high winds and huge waves. This caused them to lose some oars and one of the rowing seats. During their journey, they all sustained sores from salt, blisters from rowing, arthritic pain, injuries, and fatigue.

. 
“There are no support boats, and all the food and supplies are to be carried on board. Solar panels charge batteries which operate a desalinater or water maker to remove salt from the ocean water and filter it for human consumption. We eat dehydrated food. We have a satellite telephone, VHF radio, GPS navigation. There is no plumbing or toilet. There is only a bucket,” wrote Angela in her blog.

. 
Madson, 49, became paralyzed when her spinal cord was pierced during a botched surgery that was meant to correct a back injury she incurred in the military.

. 
“One doctor told me my physical condition was a waste of human life. I decided to prove him and everyone who thinks like him wrong by making my life anything but a waste,” Madson said.

. 
She has endured other serious medical problems as well. Since the spinal cord injury she has undergone a double mastectomy, surgery for carpal tunnel and ulna nerve problems, and has been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis.

 . 

Besides rowing, Madson also excels in other sports. She has competed in the national Veterans Wheelchair games, the wheelchair basketball leagues and the Women’s World Championships of Longboard Surfing.

. 
She has gone on to be the founder and director of California Adaptive Rowing Programs, a U.S. Rowing level III in the U.S. national Adaptive Rowing Team.

. 
She is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the recipient of many awards and honours.