Simon Chalk has been suffering severe sunburn

Simon Chalk has been struggling to clear Australia on his 3,210 nautical mile marathon to Reunion Island.

Since setting off from Kalbarri, Western Australia, the 30-year-old property developer from Newton Abbot, has progressed nearly 200 miles in 12 days.

Writing on his website, after adverse winds held him up for days, he said: "I got a wind shift last night which is actually taking me off shore properly for the first time.

Click here to see map of journey

"I've been working my socks off today and making really good distance.

"If I can just have this breeze for the next few days I'll be well into the trade wind system. You won't see me for dust then!"

Mr Chalk, who has been suffering severe sunburn in temperatures of 40C, said that cloudy weather had given him a respite.

You won't see me for dust Simon Chalk Follow Simon Chalk's progress at BBC Devon Online

However, the lack of sun also had its downside on his boat, True Spirit, which relies on solar power.

He said: "I've been having to choose between having the water-maker on or having the steering on.

"It's taking so much work to make each mile at the moment that I've stuck with the steering."

Mr Chalk is rowing the route on his own because his Welsh rowing partner Rob Munslow pulled out of the attempt.

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

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

His last attempt on the Indian Ocean last May ended with Chalk and his partner clinging to their capsized boat for 15 hours in shark-infested waters before rescue.