FORGET the body sores, the lack of sleep and sharks that sniff around the minute you want to scrape off a few barnacles – an ocean rower from Chudleigh just can't wait to get out there again.

Mick Dawson, 41, has recently completed his second row across the North Atlantic. He and rowing partner, Andrew Morris, completed the 3,000 miles in 61 days. They were the sixth pair to cross the finishing line in Antigua despite setting off six days late.

The race was organised by Mr Dawson's employers, Woodvale Events, based in Pridhamsleigh. The ex-Marine was part of the close-to-shore rescue team at the set-off point in Tenerife.

As reported by this newspaper last December, Mr Dawson picked up Mr Morris's boat, One Life, eight hours after the start of the race. Mr Morris was admitted to hospital with concussion and his partner, Stephane Portes, returned home.

A few days' recuperation and Mr Morris was ready to set off again. He talked Mr Dawson into joining him.

'That's the last time I go drinking with someone in Tenerife,' he joked. 'We made an agreement to go fast to catch up the rest of the fleet.'

But low pressure systems bringing 25-30 knot winds and squalls of up to 50 knots blew them backwards for days at a time.

'We even managed to make up time on that. We went backwards slower than everybody else,' he said.

One night, a monster Hawaii Five O wave capsized the boat and spat Mr Dawson into the water.

'It is not a nice feeling to be naked in the Atlantic in the middle of the night. As the boat started to pop up and right itself all I could hear was Robbie Williams blazing out of the speakers, Let Me Entertain You.'

Mr Morris was also tossed overboard and later damaged his back, putting him out of action for five days. But thanks to their punishing regime of rowing two hours on and two off, they managed to catch the rest of the fleet, completing in an extremely creditable 61 days, 2 hrs and 50 minutes.

Had it not been for their late start, Mr Dawson reckons they would have been knocking on double Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell's door.

Their official time will have another six days added. The organisers are still working out official placings as penalties are taken into account. Because of the late start, they are ineligible for the pairs race but will get a fleet placing.

'The race was so difficult I was just happy to finish,' admitted Mr Dawson.

His latest adventure has meant he has had to put off his third attempt on the North Pacific until next spring.

Meanwhile, if he can talk his brother out of retirement, he is hoping the pair of them will row across the North Atlantic again in June.

'Every time you crawl into the cabin you open up every freshly-salted sore. It's the worst I've suffered from chafe but we had some fantastic moments.

'We had a major encounter with whales. At one point a Dutch couple with two kids passed and were cheering and hollering and it just makes it all worthwhile. All I can think about is getting out the next time.'