OCEAN rower Andrew Barnett took his first step on dry land in two months and said: "I'm going to sit down to the biggest fry-up breakfast I've ever eaten. In fact I'll probably have two!"

The Monmouth Rowing Club adventurer endured 64 days of shark attacks, near sinkings and tropical storms to finish his epic Atlantic crossing shortly after midnight on Friday with Guatemalan crewmate Juan Carlos Sagastume.

And the 46-year-old father of two - whose only previous experience of going to sea was the cross-Channel ferry to France - said from the finish in Antigua: "That's it for me and a life on the ocean wave.

"I look like Robinson Crusoe and unless it's a cruise ship, I'm never going to sea again. Some of the waves out there would have buried my house. We're absolutely all-in, skinny as rakes and the finish just couldn't come soon enough."

Barnett becomes the second Monmouth man to row the Atlantic after Rob Munslow helped set a four-man record last year.

The duo crossed the line at 12.21am UK time, and were towed into Antigua's English Harbour to a heroes welcome.

"We knew we'd finished on the GPS system and just shipped our oars and gave each other a big hug. We were absolutely knackered after a seven-hour rowing stint, and it was pure relief that we'd done it and we didn't have to row another stroke," said Barnett.

"The locals and people on their yachts were all cheering away as we were towed in - it was a fantastic welcome after such a long hard struggle.

Someone threw us a beer and it tasted like nectar, and we had some fruit as well.

"And they were all clapping us on the back as we stepped ashore, but I could have sworn the ground was moving we were so unsteady. In fact, they were having to hold us up so we could drink our beer, it was just like being drunk. I've lost over two stone in weight and I'm just going to eat and drink for Britain now.

"It's more relief at the moment, but I'm sure we'll be enjoying the achievement and sinking a few beers in the days to come."

"It's a fantastic thing to row the Atlantic, only about 300 people have done it, but it's been incredibly tough," he said.

"Even the last day the wind turned on us and we had to put the drogue anchor out and sit tight in an horrendous rainstorm. It was so frustrating being so near and far, but we finally got moving again rowing into the squall."

But it was touch and go whether they would finish after a shark attack holed their boat 500 miles from safety.

"It was terrifying, like something out of Jaws," said Barnett. "The shark repeatedly rammed the side of the boat, but we didn't realise until we later started sinking lower in the water that it had smashed open the hull.

"I was praying the shark wouldn't come over the side, and we thought we'd escaped when it swam off, but then we found two fist-sized holes and compartments full of water.

"We managed to plug the holes by going over the side of the boat, which was scary as we had to keep a watch for sharks.

"But we were really lucky our maneater hadn't done more damage, or we could have found ourselves in the water at its mercy."

The shark attack came on top of a battle to stay afloat in seas up to 30-feet high.

"We've barely been able to sleep except in 20-minute snatches and we were so stiff and tired it just became a game of survival.

"We had three weeks of storms around the Christmas and New Year period, where we just had to lie down in our three foot high five foot long cabin as the boat rolled all over the place.

"Both of us got knocked off our rowing seats and almost thrown overboard by giant waves, and Juan Carlos suffered a broken rib smashing into the side of the boat.

"The pressure and stress are almost constant. You get used to it, but it saps your energy. It's been horrendous in parts and I'm so glad to be back on dry land.

"I've done treks across the icy wastes of the Yukon and Alaska, but they were a stroll in the park compared to this.

"I had some idea of what it would be like, but you experienced the reality that the sea is boss and you have to accept its power, you have no concept of how stressful and frightening it can be."

Home for the 64 days 13 and a half hours it took for their epic 2,931-mile journey from the Canary Islands has been their cramped 22-foot long plywood boat, MayaBrit.

"She's done us proud, withstanding a terrible battering and the shark attack. But I don't want to go to sea again on her. Once is enough," said Barnett. "We're going to have to sell her anyway to some other fool who wants to row the ocean, to recoup the costs of our £60,000 expedition. "I never thought of giving up. I guess my rowing and adventure trekking background helped me tough it out, but it was very hard.

"When we got to halfway, after enduring all those storms, we were totally exhausted but we kept plodding along, slowly hauling the miles in. Towards the end, the finish couldn't come soon enough. We were desperate to put an end to it.

"We had plenty of freeze dried food, but rowing 16 hours a day and withstanding all that rolling around is physically destroying. Now I'm going to eat and drink to sink a battleship now."

Double Olympic champion James Cracknell and TV presenter crewmate Ben Fogle were the first pair to finish the Woodvale Ocean challenge 15 days ago.

Barnett and Sagastume had led them almost to half way until the storms scuppered their chances of winning the 26-boat race, and they finally finished 11th overall.

The Wye rower is planning on resting for a few days before flying back home to start work again as a medical rep.

And of his future adventure plans, he said: "One thing's for sure, it'll be on dry land."