Mel Eissens Hands Atlantic Solo Rower.JPG

Hi, I'm Mel

ROWING THE ATLANTIC SOLO 2023

I am a Dutchie but have lived and worked in the UK (London) for almost 6 years. In October 2020 I moved to beautiful Switzerland, where I now still live and work as a Hand Therapist (OT).

As it currently looks like, I will be the first female solo rower from the Netherlands, although I might be slightly cheating as I am not living there anymore 😉.

FROM MOTORBIKE TO OCEAN ROWING BOAT

A Wild Ride FROM Land TO Sea

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic and her motorbike

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic standing next to her motorbike

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic standing next to her motorbike smile surrounded by beautiful Swiss mountains

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic rowing in a small rowing boat on a river

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic taking her Sea Survival course. She is slimbing into a lifeboat that is floating in a swimming pool.

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic sat on her Ocean Rowing Boat Jack Keane

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic sat on her Ocean Rowing Boat Jack Keane surrounded by Ocean Rowing kit and equipment as she undertakes a pre shipping inspection

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic sat inside her Ocean Rowing Boat Jack Keane surrounded by Ocean Rowing in front of the boats navigation equipment

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic on a training row getting ready to row solo in World's Toughest Row 2023

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic shrugging her shoulders and holding her hands up

Mel Eissens of Hands Atlantic sat on a rock in La Gommera the start of the World's Toughest Row which starts in December 2023

Have I ever done this before? The answer is ‘no’.
Have I ever rowed before? The answer is ‘no’.
Besides my work as a hand therapist, my passion is my motorbike, so not even water-related.

Why not…!? Ask me again in Antigua.

WAYS TO SUPPORT

HOW MEDICAL RESEARCH
GAVE ME THE OCEAN ROWING BUG!

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Mel Eissens in Sierra Leone Hands Atlantic

Mel Eissens Hands Atlantic Ocean Rowing Solo Worlds Toughest Row Start

Talking to Ocean Rowers Trigger Fingers Research

Mel Hands Atlantic looking out to the Atlantic Ocean Solo Rower

MEDICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: Trigger FINGERS IN OCEAN ROWERS

In 2019, I got involved in a research project 'Trigger fingers in Ocean Rowers'. With the (NHS) research team existing of Hand Surgeons and Hand Therapists.

We headed off to La Gomera in early December 2019 to start the project. The moment we arrived, feeling the excitement, seeing the ocean rowing boats, and talking to the rowers, I was hooked, and it never left my mind. And here we are…

I am fully aware the ocean row will test me to the max and on a completely different level than I have ever been tested before, physically, and mentally. But keeping in mind that the children and adults with disabilities who need help from Stichting Interplast Holland, are and have been dealing with a lot worse.

Being able to support these children and adults with your donations during the row to help them in further life, gives me as a hand therapist, an incredible boost and motivation.