'I had a small cut... then a shark appeared'

Zara Lachlan, a 21-year-old university student from Cambridge, is currently on an incredible journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Instead of celebrating Christmas at home, she is spending it at sea, rowing solo from Europe to South America. Zara has set herself a remarkable goal: to become the youngest person and the first woman to row alone across this vast ocean. So far, she has covered over 2,050 miles of her 4,000-mile journey, which is quite an achievement! Zara has been rowing for more than 16 hours each day, pushing herself to the limits as she makes her way towards the coast of French Guiana. She has packed all the supplies she needs for her trip, including meals and snacks, which she has to eat cold while on her boat. In photos, Zara is seen wearing a light blue coat with a bright yellow hood, and she has a big smile on her face, even though her hair is wet from the ocean. However, Zara's journey has not been without its challenges. She has faced injuries, a broken oar, and harsh weather conditions that caused her boat to roll. Additionally, she has had some frightening encounters with marine life, including orcas and sharks. One of the most memorable moments for Zara was when she had a small cut on her hand that bled quite a bit. While she was washing the cut off in the sea, a shark appeared and swam around her boat for about an hour. Zara described the shark as not being a great white but rather a brown one, humorously suggesting it could be called a 'great brown shark. ' In another alarming incident, Zara encountered a large ship that was heading straight towards her without turning on its radio. She could see on her automatic identification system where the ship was going, and it was directly on a collision course with her. Zara quickly got on her radio and used a white flare to signal for help, but the ship did not respond. Thankfully, it missed her by just 0. 1 miles, which is an incredibly close call. Zara expressed her frustration at the ship's crew for not paying attention to her warnings, but she is grateful that she is safe and can continue her journey. As she rows across the Atlantic, Zara is hoping for more predictable weather and fewer challenges. She has a strong determination to reach her goal and make history as she completes this remarkable solo row.