GUERNSEY’S London to Paris Rowing Challenge is on. As Big Ben showed three minutes past one, the first five rowers glided under Westminster Bridge to a fanfare from onlookers and supporters.

The Guernsey flag draped over the side of the bridge fluttered in the breeze and it wasn’t long before it faded from vision as the rowers fought the tide. They were spurred on all the way by people cheering them on from some of the capital’s most famous landmarks.

In the first hour they managed a credible four miles. Leader Colin Fallaize described it as admirable, because the conditions were ‘not brilliant’ for the start.

After two hours, however, the tide changed and they were travelling at around 10 knots and making good speed.

Organiser Rob Platts said: ‘The start was very tough but they still made good progress despite the strong current.

‘The heavy traffic in the river meant the boat was being hit by some strong wash.’

After six hours they left the banks of the Thames and started to enter open water, but the estuary was not as welcoming as the crowd on the start line. The shallow water served only to make the river very choppy and almost every stroke required a huge effort.

‘It was really hard out there,’ said Joe Paul, who is on his first row of this kind.

The conditions made steering the boat difficult.

Andy Chapple, one of the bow men, said: ‘Because the current was flowing across them, they were being pushed off course and it was difficult to steer back because the rudder wasn’t getting a good hold in the water.’

Although the conditions were far from comfortable, Colin summed up the group feeling.

‘This is what we are about, it’s what the training has all been for; the strength of character and spirit of Guernsey shone through.’

Karl Pederson agreed.

‘The conditions focus the mind and time flies because we are concentrating more, but its also more enjoyable. It’s what makes rowing interesting.’

As midnight approached, almost 60 miles had been covered, which meant 430 miles were left.

Sam de Kooker, the youngest rower and who usually suffers badly from seasickness, has been fine so far; in fact no one has admitted to feeling ill.

Sam is enjoying the feeling for the first time.

‘It’s the best I’ve ever felt while on a long-distance row.’

At around 11pm, a huge tanker appeared alongside the convoy and is just a sign of what more is to come in the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

At 8am this morning, the boat had gone 95 miles and were Three miles past Dover.

Overnight, the water was fairly choppy and a ‘strenuous row’, but the challenge is still on target.

* They rowers had to change last week from Limehouse Dock to St Katherine’s Dock because a bridge had got stuck.

Mr Platts called St Katherine’s to say it was a charity initiative and it said it would charge £15 for the guard boats instead of £45.

‘When we got here, the harbour master said there would be no charge. He said it’s a fantastic thing to do, it’s a great cause and it touches him personally because his wife has MS,’ said Mr Platts.

‘It’s a lovely story. He’s a lovely chap and is like many people with relatives who have got the disease and is having a hard time with it.’