Ex-SAS soldier from Hereford to start solo Atlantic row

Ian Rivers has been checking the weather conditions from his starting point in New York

An ex-SAS soldier is attempting to row unsupported across the North Atlantic.

Ian Rivers, from Herefordshire, will set off from New York at 17:00 BST using only a sextant and the stars to navigate to the Scilly Isles.

Mr Rivers used natural indicators when he escaped after being kidnapped in Syria. His solo row of about 3,500 miles (5,632 km), is for two charities.

His team, Row Sentinel, said nobody has yet completed the journey from New York alone and unsupported.

Mr Rivers, from Hereford, who spent 20 years in the special forces, is hoping to raise £500,000 for the SAS association's Sentinel charity and St Michael's Hospice.

'Bounces around'

He told BBC News he was feeling the effects of adrenalin and was "questioning everything" ahead of setting off.

"You know, am I ready? Is the boat ready?," he said.

"Of course, I don't actually know that until I get going... no-one's actually done a solo unsupported row from New York."

He said he estimates it will take him at least 90 days, although it could be less with good weather conditions.

"It's quite difficult because it's a rowing boat and a rowing boat kind of bounces around an awful lot," he added.

"The main sights I will be taking will be the sun, but I've got to be able to see the sun so if it's cloudy or there's a storm, I will literally just be heading east until I can actually see the sun."

Mr Rivers was kidnapped in an ambush in Syria in 2013 when he was working as a safety advisor and relied on nature - the way trees leant towards the sun and moss on rocks - to head north into safety in Turkey.