He was rowing steadily and it was no effort for him since he kept well within his speed.

这时，他不慌不忙地划着船，也不需要使出多大的力气，因为他保持着一定的速度。

youdao

He was rowing steadily and it was no effort for him since he kept well within his speed and the surface of the ocean was flat except for the occasional swirls of the current.

他从容地划着，对他说来并不吃力，因为他保持在自己的最高速度以内，而且除了偶尔水流打个旋儿以外，海面是平坦无浪的。

youdao

Kate, who agreed to take part despite having no rowing experience, said she was proud of the crew's achievement.

BBC: News

"There's no guidebook for rowing across the Arctic, so we had to invent everything" from desalination equipment to a sleep protocol (two hours rowing, two hours sleeping, nonstop, in perpetual daylight).

WSJ: An Arctic Row Against the Tides of Narcissism | Marvels

Was there no pleasure in rowing?

BBC: Here be dragons