Link: William gives rousing welcome as friend beats Atlantic rowing record.
the coast I loved looking at the trees and the fields, and smelling the farms." Mr Hicks's red 24ft boat, in which he rowed an average 32 miles a day, is equipped with satellite telephone and is a self-righting vessel with watertight cabins. Its hold contains a desalinator that makes sea water drinkable, an ipod music player, a small gas stove, and a cache of dehydrated food. At one point the frigate Cumberland gave him provisions in mid-Atlantic. He feasted on duck, biscuits, Camembert and red wine. His father, a solicitor, said: "Because of all the people here and the general excitement it has been tear-jerking. My son is amazingly modest and understated. He did not do this for money, for glory, or for fame, he did it for himself. "He just wanted to prove to himself he could do it. Goodness knows what he does next. That is the worrying thing." Sir Richard Branson, whose Vigin Atlantic was the main sponsor and whose daughter is a friend of the rower, was in the reception party. He said: "British people have gone out to conquer the world and push themselves to the limits, right back to Sir Francis Drake. "Ollie is as remarkable as any of them
