For the second consecutive year, intrepid rowers have been pitting themselves against the might of the Atlantic Ocean, traversing 3,200 miles from the Canary Islands to Antigua on muscle power alone, in one of the toughest endurance events on the planet.
Unlike its counterparts, the Atlantic Dash is not about speed, but embracing the adventure and gaining a fresh perspective on life.
This year’s event saw three teams depart from Lanzarote on January 3.
On Sunday morning, Brightsides were the first to cross the Jolly Harbour finish line after 52 days, 18 hours and 53 minutes at sea.
The quartet comprised paratrooper Alex Perry, vet Anna Williams and farmers Rod Adlington and Guy Minshull, all from the UK.
They arrived to a rapturous reception and a feast fit for a king, courtesy of local restaurant Sheer Rocks.
Perry, from Oxfordshire, explained what inspired him to take part when greeted by the Observer team.
“I’ve always kind of wanted to do a big adventure. It wasn’t necessarily to row the Atlantic or row an ocean, but the opportunity came up and I kind of got hooked on the idea. Not many people do it, and just getting away from the hustle and bustle of life and just getting out in a big kind of wild life. . . it’s nicest to be out there and in the middle of nature and the wilderness.”
When asked about the experience, Perry shared that it was not a walk in the park by any stretch.
“Anything like that, you look at it and it seems unachievable, but if you just do it sort of day at a time, it seems a lot more manageable. There were definitely some dark times, where it seemed like we were never going to get in, when you hit some bad weather and you can’t do anything about it.”
Music helped keep the team’s spirits up. The soundtrack to the journey included everything from classical and country, to rock and heavy metal.
In addition to the sheer physical toil, the undertaking also meant being in very close confines to one’s teammates for a lengthy spell.
“Everyone has moments. They just want a bit of a long time and everyone knew that, and especially at night it was good. A lot of the time. People just put the headphones on, and sort of get into their own world, and it lets you have a bit of a reset.”
Williams, from Lancashire, told Observer she had been inspired to take part by a Netflix documentary, and had jumped at the chance when she saw an ad from one of the crew looking for an additional rower.
“It was harder than I thought, but yeah, amazing wildlife – whales, dolphins and marlins. Amazing sunsets, sunrises, stars. The waves were pretty big one weekend and just that tiredness. It’s like jet lag. It’s horrendous. I’m doing Kilimanjaro in September, which I think is going to be a cake walk compared to this.”
Brightsides raised more than 120,000 pounds for Meningitis Now and Get A-Head which helps people suffering from diseases affecting the head and neck.
The second team is due to complete the row in the next few days. The third was forced to pull out after the failure of key equipment.
Billy Taylor, the event’s co-organiser, is urging intrepid adventurers to sign up for next year’s row which departs on January 23.
“We’re trying to encourage people just to go out for the adventure, rather than to get the fastest time or to beat the person next to them.” Taylor expounded, pointing out the fact that the race was not focused on winners or speed.
“The Dash is about making memories and making stories to tell your grandkids and stuff like that, and just going out for the adventure and proving to yourself that you can . . . take on the challenge like rowing the Atlantic, life is too short.”
Taylor explained that the name of the Atlantic Dash was inspired by a poem entitled The Dash, written by Linda Ellis that reflects on the significance of the dash—the symbol between one’s birth and death dates on a tombstone – as representative of one’s life and legacy.
It emphasises the importance of how we live our lives and the impact we make on others during the dash, rather than the dates themselves.
The poem urges readers to consider the legacy they leave behind, and to live a life filled with love, kindness, and meaningful experiences.
Anyone interested in taking part can visit atlanticdash.com for more information.