He boasted that he had the physical strength, the mental toughness, and the maritime technology to row 3,600 miles across the steely Atlantic, from Cape Cod to France, faster than any human in history. Turns out, Charlie Girard lacked all three
Did you catch the story in Saturday’s Globe about Charlie Girard, the Frenchman who set out to row from Cape Cod to France and had to be rescued about fifty miles from shore? Some have grumbled about the expense of the rescue, which of course the taxpayers have had to bear. But I say “bravo, Charlie Girard!” Not on account of his success at sea, but because of what he said afterward:
“The sea was very, very hard,” he said. “I was very tired, too.”
He said he would never try to cross the Atlantic in that rowboat again.”I’m too scared to try another time,” he said. “It was very difficult at night. I think it will take many days to stop the nightmares.”
How many people have well and truly failed at something big with as much brutal honesty as Charlie Girard? Imagine any politician with the courage to do the same.
Bravo, Charlie Girard!
