TAUNTON man Hugo Mitchell-Heggs is back on terra firma after spending 37 days, six hours and 40 minutes rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.

Hugo was in a team of four Royal Navy submariners who completed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, the 'world's toughest row' from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, to Nelson's Dockyards, in Antigua.

Setting out on December 12, they were exhausted when they reached the finishing line on January 18, meaning they missed Christmas and the New Year. They rowed in pairs, two hours on, two hours off.

During his week recovering in the Caribbean, Hugo, 33, who attended The Castle School and Richard Huish College, in Taunton, got down on one knee to propose to his partner, Charlotte, who was delighted to accept.

The team's adventure in HMS Oardacious saw them raise more than £105,000 for Royal Navy and Royal Marines charities to fund mental health and wellbeing in the submarine community.

Just three days into the row, their boat suffered technical problems, scuppering any chance of winning the race, although they still finished sixth.

Hugo, recalling some scary moments, said: "We capsized at one stage and I lost my shoes so had to row barefoot.

"Some of the waves were as big as hills and made us feel very small. We spun out of control a few times. We surfed a 40-foot wave, which left us with some bumps and bruises.

"It was tough trying to stay and salt free. We got some disgusting salt sores, little blisters everywhere.

"It was good when we got two days of rain and were able to get the soap out and have a shower."

But there were highs, such as admiring the night sky.

"I had no idea there were that many stars in the sky," said Hugo. "We saw the whole Milky Way and shooting stars. One night the moon was so bright when it was raining that we could see a rainbow.

"A pod of dolphins came by, doing back flips and showing off. A massive whale and her calf were just ten metres away and dived under us.

"But the highest high was when we spotted land creeping closer and closer over the horizon.

"It was a lovely moment when we crossed the invisible finishing line at Antigua.

"We were greeted by red flares in the harbour and our loved ones were waiting for us."

The exhausted crew members, who were exhausted, dehydrated and hungry had burned 10,000 calories a day with their physical efforts, causing them to lose 18 kilos and leaving them with weak and skinny legs.

"You throw yourselves into your family's arms," said Hugo.

"It's not a very glamorous sport when you're out there.

"Our normal job is under the water rather than on it. But we're used to dealing with exhaustion and making decisions under pressure."

PHOTOS: HMS OARDACIOUS