Episode #54. Crossing the Atlantic: Grit, Laughter & Rowing for Mental Health with Kerry & Fiona from team Ocean Empower
What happens when four midlife women decide to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic?
In this powerful episode, I speak to my friends Kerry and Fiona, who took part in the World’s Toughest Row and came back with stories of strength, sea salt, and sisterhood.
We talk about what it’s really like to live on a boat for 44 days, how mindset helped them through the hardest moments, and why they did it to raise awareness for mental health.
From night shifts and barnacles to deep friendships and deeper reflections, this one is packed with hope, humour, and hard-won wisdom.
Chapters
02:59 The Challenge of Rowing Across the Atlantic
05:54 Motivation and Purpose Behind the Challenge
09:02 Team Dynamics and Preparation
12:03 Training and Safety Measures
14:53 Nutrition and Food Preparation
17:54 Life on Board: Shifts and Responsibilities
20:58 Physical Challenges and Adaptations
24:01 Mental Resilience and Coping Strategies
27:06 Reflections on the Journey and Lessons Learned
35:00 The Beauty of Nature: Reflections at Sea
37:50 Turning 50: A Milestone in Perspective
41:00 Resilience and Mental Strength: Lessons Learned
50:11 Raising Awareness: The Charities Behind the Challenge
59:52 The Importance of Movement: Mental Health and Wellbeing
About this week’s guests:
Kerry Swanton & Fiona Steele from Team Ocean Empower
In December 2024, Team Ocean Empower, an all-female crew comprised of Fiona Steel, Deborah Cope, Dawn Smith, and Kerry Swanton, took part in the World’s Toughest Row, rowing 3167 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean. They were the first all-female crew to reach Antigua, winning the Women’s Class after being at sea for 44 days, 14 hours and 52 minutes.
Through their campaign, EMPOWERED, they helped raise awareness of the feelings associated with mental health challenges, and how anyone can be empowered to overcome these challenges by speaking up and seeking the support they need, whether that is speaking to a friend, being part of a community, or through self-help practices at home, work or school. They raised almost £60,000 for three charitable organisations, The Charlie Waller Trust, Phoenix Heroes CIC and The Project PT.
As a team of four middle-aged women winning the Women’s Class and beating the Army and Navy teams half their age, they hope they have shown that anyone is capable of overcoming any challenge in life, if they have the right support network around them. They said, "If our campaign has helped to empower just one person to overcome their challenge in life, our struggle to row 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean has been 100% worth it, because our struggle was nothing in comparison to someone who feels their life is not worth it”.
Connect here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceanempower/
Fundraising page: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/3135/worlds-toughest-row-atlantic-ocean-2024/
Charities Supported:
https://www.phoenixheroes.co.uk/
Resources:
Worlds Toughest Row: https://www.worldstoughestrow.com/
Aurora Sea School: https://www.rowaurora.co.uk/
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More about your host, Wendy
Wendy (50) founded Reclaim Movement after a running injury at 40 turned into 4 years of chronic pain. In her search for answers and to reclaim her own movement again she discovered natural movement. The philosophy of training real life practical movements to be able to keep using them as we age, coupled with the benefit of using strengthening and mobilising whole-body movement patterns that are underused in today’s modern world made her realise she had found a way to move for life.
Wendy’s aim is to help people embrace a movement-rich life, at any age, to improve mobility, strength and confidence to keep moving well and doing the things they love for as long as they want.
MovNat Level 1 certified & Functional Range Conditioning certified, she coaches online group classes live & by replay in the Reclaim Movement membership as well as online and in-person private coaching in Oxford.
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