Army Officers Undertake Atlantic Rowing Challenge for Charity

A group of four military personnel from the Army is undertaking a 3,000-mile Atlantic rowing challenge, described as “the world’s toughest row,” with the aim of collecting funds for charitable causes. Major Dec Lynn, whose personal experience with cancer and subsequent kidney removal motivated his involvement, is leading the team. They intend to navigate from the Canary Islands to Antigua aboard an 8.5m (28ft) vessel. The crew will alternate rowing, with two members at a time, in two-hour shifts, continuously for 24 hours daily, seven days a week, for an estimated duration of 40 days. Maj Lynn, a resident of Chorley, Lancashire, commented, “It’s not for the faint hearted.” The leader of the Oarsome Army Educators team, which also includes Graham Doyle, Jess Hunter, and Gian-Luc Angiolini, stated: “I am sure that the night before we go, I will look out to sea and go ‘wow, the Atlantic seems to be rather big’ and get scared.” He further added: “Right now I’m not scared at all, this has been three years in the making, I’m just really excited to make it happen.” He recounted a conversation with his wife: “One night I was chatting to my wife and she said Dec if you want to do this I’ll absolutely support you, but if you’re going to do it, could you do it sooner rather than later so I don’t have to listen to this every time we’ve had a glass of wine together.” The group will operate without external support, carrying all necessary provisions and medical supplies themselves. Maj Lynn explained, “The boat makes her own water and electricity and you’re essentially on your own.” He emphasized the environmental aspect, adding, “Everything we bring is fully biodegradable, the race is environmentally friendly and we don’t leave any litter in the Atlantic.” Maj Lynn further elaborated on potential conditions: “It can get fairly choppy, the boat is designed to take waves of up to 10 metres, in the event of a storm you deploy a para-anchor, a massive underwater parachute that holds the boat stable and you get into the cabins and let those waves churn you around like an ocean-going washing machine until the storm passes.” He concluded this point by stating: “So we’re going to get comfortable with discomfort very, very quickly.” Additional difficulties the team anticipates encountering involve sleep deprivation, maintaining mental resilience, and the use of a lavatory described as “a communal bucket” positioned “behind the other rowers so they can’t see.” The group, scheduled to depart next month, aims to enhance the visibility of Army educators—certified teachers who assist Army recruits in acquiring valuable skills for post-service life. Their fundraising efforts are directed towards two military benevolent organizations: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and The AGC Association. Maj Lynn affirmed their strong bond, describing them as “a good cohesive team.” He elaborated on their dynamic: “We’ve got to know each other in a way where you know each other’s foibles, you now what’s going to make each other tick and what’s going to tick each other off but leaving enough to talk about on the boat so you don’t run out of entertainment.”