BIG NEWS — Did I say Cayenne? Well, I meant Georgetown…

I set off from Dakar on January 3 to complete a solo, unsupported, mainland-to-mainland row across the Atlantic Ocean. That’s still what I intend to do and I’m going to do whatever I can to achieve it. Even if that means rowing an extra 400 miles!

Some of you may have noticed that I’ve started to row a little further north over the last few days. The reason behind this is that I am longer aiming for Cayenne, French Guiana; I’m going to Georgetown in Guyana.

Rowing into Cayenne is very difficult unless the weather is very calm. Because of the current coming up the South American coast, the waves coming from the north and the wind coming from the east, the sea becomes very messy unless there is almost no wind. At the moment, the wind is about 20kt – that doesn’t count as “no wind”! I’ve been told that, with the weather and the sea like it is now, I’d almost certainly need a tow for the last few miles into port to avoid certain death. Well … I want to row all the way and, having been out here for over 2 months, what’s another 2 weeks between friends?

Although the route to Cayenne is shorter and will end my journey sooner, by diverting my route to the north and continuing a track to Georgetown, the seas should be less aggressive and, weather permitting, my hope is that it will allow me to conclude my journey as I have conducted it: solo!

From Katie: In January, I embarked on a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean! After 2,500 miles and 70-100 days alone at sea, I will become the youngest person ever to row an ocean solo and the first American to row from Africa to South America. But this row is about something much more important: safe drinking water. Unsafe drinking water is the leading cause of sickness, disease and death worldwide ― but it's a problem that, working together, we can solve. To join me in helping the billion people around the world who lack access to safe drinking water, click here.