NEWTON ABBOT solo rower Simon Chalk could be just days from reaching dry land after his gruelling three month Indian Ocean row.

Mr Chalk, a property developer, set off from western Australia at the end of February and has endured a frustrating, incident-packed journey.

A near miss with a cargo boat, encounters with sharks and whales and the repair of damaged equipment have all been in a day's work.

This week, Mr Chalk has had to contend with diverse weather – strong currents, storms and a windless atmosphere that has left his self-righting boat True Spirit at a standstill.

Mr Chalk said: 'Conditions are making progress very difficult.

'I'm sitting at the oars going nowhere, which is absolutely soul destroying, especially being so close to land. It's like someone's holding a sweet out in front of me but I can't actually get to it.'

Mr Chalk continued: 'I saw a massive shark yesterday, the biggest one I've ever seen.

'The sea was absolutely flat calm, it looked like glass and I was thinking about diving in and scraping the barnacles off the boat again. Then I saw this dorsal fin and thought oops!, perhaps not.'

Mr Chalk said that the 3,200 mile voyage 'has been the toughest thing that I have ever attempted and I'll be pleased when it's finally over.

'The ocean and the elements are relentless and unforgiving. I've had to dig deep into reserves that I've only discovered on this voyage.'

On Wednesday, Mr Chalk was around 160 miles from his destination Ile Raphael.

Reunion Island was the original destination but winds have blown him too far north to make that course.

As Mr Chalk nears Nazareth Banks, an area where the ocean rises from 2,500 to 200m, he is preparing for more challenges ahead.

'This ocean has thrown up so many surprises along the way and there isn't anything that can be relied upon in terms of weather or current,' he said.

'I know that there will be more adventures to come but, for now, I'm looking forward to the feel of solid ground beneath my feet, a cold beer, a shower and a decent meal – probably in that order!'