Almost-Echo Bay boy rows across the Atlantic

Today should be big - very big - for Paul Attalla.

He has been rowing across the Atlantic Ocean since setting out from La Gomera, Canary Islands on December 2, 2007.

Attalla is a soloist competing in the Atlantic Rowing Race from San Sebastian, La Gomera (Canary Islands) to Antigua, West Indies.

If things go according go plan, he should reach land at Antigua around 2 p.m. today.

The father of two, recently from Fernie, British Columbia, spent his 37th birthday and anniversary aboard his boat, the Spirit of Fernie.

The craft is a Woodvale Solo class ocean rowing boat designed for serious long hauls and Attalla has serious backup from a long haul away.

Not only are Attalla's wife and two young daughters cheering him on from home, he has a raft of folks rooting for him from the Sault Ste. Marie area.

The rower's mom hails from Echo Bay Ontario and the webpage created to chronicle his journey for interested computer-chair adventurers has several references to the many friends and family who support him from the area.

Attalla's cousin, Gerry Wilton, sent us the following e-mail when Paul was still somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic.

************************* Hello Sootoday.com:

Just to let you know about or possibly if you can do a piece on, I have a cousin (Paul Attalla) in a rowing race.

He is the only Canadian in it, and one of two boats that are solo, others are pairs, fours and five.

The race started in San Sebastian, La Gomera (Canary Islands), and ends in Antigua, West Indies.

It is 5,500 km of solo rowing for him.

Today is day 63 over half way done.

His site along with daily blog and guest book is solotheatlantic.com a link is also there to bring to the race's site to view the full progress of the race.

There is many family members in the Sault that are proud of Paul.

Thank you for your time and great work you do there at Sootoday.com.

Gerry Wilton

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