Simon Chalk has started his record attempt

Simon Chalk, a property developer from Newton Abbot, set off from Kalbarri, Western Australia, at 2310 GMT on Thursday, at about 0700 local time.

Ahead of him are 3,210 nautical miles to Reunion Island on his own after his Welsh rowing partner, Rob Munslow, pulled out of the attempt.

Mr Chalk, 30, is making the first solo bid to cross the ocean since 1971. He hopes to beat the existing non-stop record of 64 days.

There are two ways off this boat. One is at Reunion Island, and the other isn't Simon Chalk Check out the official website at BBC Devon

He is also bidding to become the first Briton to row the ocean and the youngest person to do so.

Mr Chalk has already rowed the Atlantic, and his colleague on that occasion, George Rock, has been in Australia helping him prepare for the solo bid.

The only time the Indian Ocean route has been completed was in 1971 by Swede Anders Svedlund.

Mr Chalk was part of a joint attempt to row the Indian Ocean last May, but spent 15 hours in shark-infested waters waiting to be rescued after his boat capsized off Australia.

Voyage confidence

This time he is aboard the self-righting craft True Spirit, a design which has already conquered the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

His journey will take him from Kalbarri to Reunion Island, off the coast of Madagascar.

Mr Chalk has enough food to last 100 days but is aiming to complete the trip in 64.

Simon Chalk said of his voyage: "There are two ways off this boat.