Interview with Rishi Ravalia for Mutiny

Why on earth would you want to sign up to something like this?
I didn't actually sign up for this, Windfall productions found me through their networks and convinced me to participate. Having never sailed or taken any interest in survival before, this seemed like the ultimate personal challenge. I've always loved travelling and this sounded authentic, new and interesting. I love pushing my limits and getting out of my comfort zone, what better way to do that then take part in an ultimate maritime survival expedition?

Why do you think you were chosen?
I tick the 'modern day man' box for recreating this expedition. I had engineered a happy life for myself in London with a great job, amazing family & friends, so I suppose it's interesting to see how I might or might not survive without any modern day luxuries. I've got a positive attitude and a 'can-do' mentality. Would I still be as charismatic and positive so far out of my comfort zone? Also, I've never spent such a long time away/ not spoken to my twin bro Raj. I suppose all the odds are against me to be successful and there will be many people who doubt I'll be able to succeed.

How did you prepare for the series?
I had no idea what I was in for, so I prepared the only way I could think... stopped drinking alcohol, started exercising and eating healthy. Lots of healthy! I needed to put weight on! Chocolate cakes, biscuits, ice-cream, mac-cheese! I spent time with my close family and friends in case anything really bad happened out at sea and started to prepare mentally for the challenge ahead.

What were your worries going in to the series?
Every. Single. Thing. There was nothing about the expedition which I felt confident about. And the fact that it would be documented with a camera in your face during some of the lowest moments of your life made it that much harder. The thought of being out at sea, starving, in such close proximity to 8 other strangers without being able to communicate with the 21st century was difficult to get my head around. I worried about being a burden on the team by not having any experience and not being able to contribute to the effort from day 1. My biggest worry, by far, was not finishing the expedition. I did NOT want to fail!

What was the reality like, compared to the theory?
I didn't have much of an idea about the theory but from what I understood, reality was ten-fold worse. There's no way you can prepare yourself physically, mentally, socially or emotionally for being out at sea in the 18th century.

What did you miss the most, from everyday life?
I missed the three F's. Food, family & friends. Take any of these three away and see how your life changes. Take all three away and see how your world turns upside down.

What was the aroma like, all living on close quarters on the boat?
I've lived in close quarters with Raj my whole life. I travel a lot and am used to being in 20 bed dorm-rooms around the world. However, 9 people in 23 feet of space was incomprehensible! However, I learned to adapt very quickly and felt like the watch system worked well (when the people on my watch were cool). Not smelling and feeling clean lowered my moral, and a 24 hour toilet in my face wasn't pleasant, but you get used to it.

Did you get enough food and sleep?
My body adapted to low amounts of food and sleep. I don't think you can ever really get used to starvation, but my body got the rest it needed during watches. It was never comfortable and I seldom complained about lack of sleep because the watch system is designed for you to rest. Complaining was not appropriate on board. Horrific conditions made this difficult, but we needed to remain positive.

What kind of relationships did you form?
I made friends like family. I had male role models/ guidance which helped me learn and grow so much! Sharing difficult experiences with people brings you close together, so I've got some incredible relationships. It was by no means a 'lads holiday' and there were lots of disagreements and arguments, as you can imagine.

Were there ever tensions among the crew?
Starving, cold, tired, wet... the list goes on. Tensions were very high under these conditions. Not everyone was reading off the same page, so this made tensions that much higher.

What was Ant like as a skipper?
Anthony put his crew before himself at all times and I'll be forever grateful to him for this. There were many moments which will never be seen or captured for TV which makes him an incredible person. He is patient and played a huge role in development both on and off of the Bounty's End.

What were your lowest moments?
Being at the mercy of the sea, constant waves coming over board, the rain, starving, freezing, missing my family & friends, being becalmed in the sea, certain people on board making life difficult in an already difficult environment. There were a lot of low moments.

What were the high points?
Having the chance to push the limits of my ability was an incredible experience. Taking the time to think about and appreciate the opportunities I have in life was humbling. There were many little highs, but amongst the foray of lows, the highs were sky-high-incredible! Being in nature away from the complexities of modern day life was a beautiful experience that I'm so grateful for. I celebrated every small success and that made the worst of days more bearable.

What did you learn from this experience?
Apart from learning how to sail a 7meter 18th century lug-sail boat and survive on 500 calories of rations a day, I learned a lot about myself. I know what I'm capable of and how much I can achieve with the right mindset. I love people! During my time on the Bounty's End, I was doing whatever I could to survive and stay sane. There are people across the world fighting battles every day, and that motivates and inspires me to infect people with positivity in the face of the adversities that we all come across. The love I have for food, family and friends has never been so exaggerated and I'm sure this feeling will stay with me forevermore. I've learned so much, more than I can write in one paragraph. What an experience!