James Adair read Modern History at the University of St Andrews. He worked for two years as the editor of the Alderney Journal, perhaps the world's smallest paid-for newspaper, wrote a column in the Guernsey Press and wrote freelance articles for The Times' Books and News sections. To finance his dream of rowing an ocean he took a job as a shipbroker with HSBC in London. In the aftermath of his and Ben's incredible journey, he has returned to shipbrokerage.