Starting December 12th, 2022, the United Arab Emirate's Arabian Ocean Rowing Team will row 5,000km unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean, to raise public awareness around plastic pollution and the importance of preserving ocean health in support of the Clean Seas campaign.
Considered one of the last great adventures on our planet, the team will be totally self-sufficient for the duration of their expedition, relying entirely on desalinated seawater to hydrate, solar energy to power batteries and electronics and eating freeze-dried food, all while confined to a rowing boat which is only 8 meters (26ft) long. The team will face waves up to 40ft, rowing two hours on, two hours off for 24 hours a day, whilst living in cramped conditions.
The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team will be pushed to the very edge of their physical and mental limits in support of science research and the campaigning to end plastic pollution.
The UAE’s “Arabian Ocean Rowing Team” became a Clean Seas partner in 2022.
Follow the team's journey by tracking their travel route and daily progress using the GPS tracker on Marine Traffic. The boat's tag number is: 232041830.
The team will also be sending weekly updates by both written messages and video which can be followed through the playlist below.
Arabian Ocean Rowing Team Video Updates
Watch video updates through the Youtube playlist
23 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team crosses finish line in Antigua
The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team, Toby Gregory, James Raley & Raimundo Tamagnini, crossed the finish line on the 23 January 2023 at 15:50 local Antigua time to complete the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, the World's Toughest Row. Coming into the finish line in the pouring rain, the team conquered the 5,000-kilometer race in 42 days, 7 hours, and 35 minutes. The team came in 3rd place in the 3-man rowing division, and 20th overall. The team accomplished an incredible feat, coping with mental and physical exhaustion, all the while battling the ocean's rough waters. Over the last 42 days, the team has brought immense attention to the Clean Seas campaign, raising awareness on the importance of ocean conservation. Well done, team!
Photo credit: Atlantic Campaigns in partnership with the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge
22 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team encounters a shark on their last day at sea.
As the team makes their way less than 100 nautical miles away from the Antigua shoreline, they excitedly encounter a curious shark! Toby Gregory details the experience below along with capturing footage using a GoPro. Check out the video below:
21 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team is 3 days out from arriving in Antigua
Arabian Ocean Rowing Captain, Toby Gregory, provides some insights on the last few days on the team's great ocean adventure:
"It’s 5am, marginally cold, completely dark, no moon in sight, and the waves are coming in high and fast at a frustrating angle - yet I couldn’t be happier. Last night my family arrived in Antigua. As I finished my shift, the Chart Plotter says 122 nautical miles to go.
It’s been a mighty journey and we’re not done yet but with each oar stroke we get closer to the Caribbean and a chance to process what has been the most incredible 40 plus days crossing the Atlantic Ocean. With any luck by Tuesday lunchtime we will have reached English Harbour. However, if we keep going at the speed we carried through the night then it will be sooner.
It’s been the adventure of a lifetime and the memories will stay with me forever. There have been major highs, major lows, disagreements, times where I genuinely wondered how we would get up a wave, and amazing sights of this planet at its best.
For now we will stay focused on safely getting through those 100 miles and taking in every moment."
20 Jan 2023 || Werner Kok from Cell C Sharks Rugby Club send an encouraging message to the team
Durban-based Cell C Sharks Rugby Club player, Werner Kok, named World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year in 2015 and member of the South African Sevens Team which won bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics, shares a message of encouragement to the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team using the Atlantic Challenge to raise awareness around ocean protection and reducing plastic pollution. View video message below:
18 Jan 2023 || Less than 500-nautical miles left until Arabian Ocean Rowing Team reaches Antigua
Having passed the 1,000 nautical mile mark on 12 of Jan, and now closing another gap of 500 miles 6 days later, the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team has reached its last major barrier before reaching Antigua. The team has seen less pollution of late, but this could largely be due to the rough weather conditions the team has battled through over the course of the last few weeks. Toby has mentioned that there is more evidence of pollution, varying in size, from large whole intact pieces of plastics to microplastics being captured in the plankton nets, when the ocean waters are calmer. The team has found it challenging to capture the plastic materials as evidence and documenting its location on GPS, as they tend to float by the boat rather quickly with the strong ocean currents. Toby continues to mention that is really concerning to see the amount of pollution as they have, so far from land. "If we are noting evidence of plastic here, what is happening in other parts of the ocean? This is not an isolated incident. Plastic must be swimming in other parts of this massive ocean. If we changed direction or a different course, we probably would see a similar amount. It is truly upsetting, particularly considering how vitally important our oceans are.
14 Jan 2023 || Toby reflects on the critical need of managing our oceans sustainably
The drone footage below provides a fresh perspective as to how small the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and humans are relative to planet Earth. Toby reflects on the many reasons why we need to manage our marine environment more sustainably.
"It nurtures unimaginable biodiversity, produces food, jobs, minerals and energy, all which are resources for the planet to survive and thrive. There is obviously still a great deal that we don’t know about the ocean, but there are many reasons why we need to manage it sustainably. I am now seeing it with my own eyes. The science itself is clear. The ocean is facing unprecedented threats as a result of human activities, it’s health and it’s ability to sustain life will only get worse as the world's population grows and human activities increase. If we want address some of the defining issues of our time such as climate change, food insecurity, foreign diseases, biodiversity loss, major conflicts, economic equality, we must act now to protect the state of our ocean."
12 Jan 2023 || The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team completes 1,000 nautical miles
Last night the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team passed the 1,000 nautical miles mark! The team is very excited as the countdown to reach Antigua is final on! While Rai has noted his excitement of reaching land and being back with his family, but he also will miss the tranquility, despite the ferocious waves at night, and the beautiful skies that hold the deepest variations of blue. View the video below in which Toby asks Rai some rapid-fire questions.
09 Jan 2023 || Two birds have flown over 2,000km, keeping pace with the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team
The team has undergone a tough couple of days, trying to make the most of the rough conditions. They have had three very close calls of capsizing; the waves seem to be out to get them, as these larger waves seem to be out of sync with the others. The worst part is that this is all happening at night. Last night, a gigantic wave caused the boat to turn on it’s side. Thankfully, Rai was able to get the oar into the right place to avoid a full capsize of the boat. Everyone is fine, but of course the shock of it all is mentally draining. The team is so close to the finish, with 1,000 nautical miles left to cover. That said, the team is also maintaining a practical perspective, that this is still a lot of mileage to cover and anything can happen along the route. They have spent the last few days with just one rower up on the oars, giving two of them more time to sleep and fuel up on food.
Toby mentions that while this has been the most magical and amazing experience, there is only so long you can be stuck on a tiny 8-meter rowing boat in the middle of a big ocean. On Friday and Saturday, the new moon lit a pathway for the team across the ocean. This is the first time on the entire trip, the team has been able to see the waves they were eventually going to be hit by. With the rough weather the team has been experiencing, all the marine creatures have taken shelter, so they haven’t seen much movement in the water. Two birds, however, which the team has cheekily named Burt and Shamal, have remained a constant presence by their side. These two seabirds have traveled over 2,000 kilometers with the team. Toby and teammates hope both Burt and Shamal are able to find their way back, if they continue on course to follow the team to Antigua.
08 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team reports little sightings of plastic pollution
The team is making good progress towards Antigua. The chart plotter indicates that if the team were to continue heading directly south they would arrive in Brazil, demonstrating how far across the ocean the team has already traveled in less than 25 days. With little noise coming from the radio, the team is truly alone in the middle of the ocean. As noted over the past few days, the team is constantly battling large waves, erratic weather patterns, and changing tides, which they explain could also be the reason for the limited sightings of marine litter and debris. As the team heads directly west towards Antigua, they have seen less marine debris and plastic pollution compared to other areas along their ocean route. A notable highlight from the past few days was that the team was greeted by a whale, spotted 40 meters away. What a truly amazing experience!
06 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team has 1,000 nautical miles left on their ocean adventure
The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team has just over 1,000 nautical miles left to end their ocean adventure in Antigua. It has been a magical, yet physically and mentally exhausting journey. The team must continue rowing dead into the night, which can be a mesmerizing and spiritual experience, rowing under a night sky filled with stars and the moon shining a path of light. But it can also be extremely dangerous with the mountainous waves. Today the waves were particularly tiring and difficult to maneuver, with the team explaining that it always becomes a question whether they will be able to successfully row over them, or if they will capsize.
04 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team reaches the halfway mark in their ocean race
On 4 Jan 2023, the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team reached an incredible milestone, hitting the halfway mark of 2,500km of the 5,000km row! Reflecting on the first part of the row, the team endured rough weather, with continuous storms and gigantic waves. Night shifts have been particularly tough as the team members experience 8 to 13 meter waves, in which they were desperately trying to ensure the boat did not capsize or turn in the wrong direction. James and Rai nearly capsized this morning, so the team is being extra vigilant today! Despite the weather challenges, a few electrical shortages, and the physical and mental fatigue setting in, the team remains in high spirits. The team has made excellent progress and aims to arrive in Antigua by the end of January, ahead of their initial 50-day target.
03 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team's provides an update on their sightings of plastic pollution out at sea.
With the storms subsiding over the last few days, the team has finally had the opportunity to sample the water quality and put out the plankton nets to collect plastic samples. The team will follow a set of guidelines in the plastic collection, towing the nets at the same time each day. While towing the plankton net off the back of the boat, one of the team members noted that because the net might be perceived as food to some sea creatures, the team will install a Go Pro off the back of the boat to watch the plankton net just in case! at the same time.
01 Jan 2023 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team brings in 2023 with a message for friends, family, and sponsors
31 Dec 2022 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team makes the turn west towards Antigua on New Year's Eve
The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team spent New Year's Eve taking care of cleaning the bottom of their boat that was full of barnacles and other creatures. While teammate, Raimundo, kept watch for sharks as they have been encountering a few of them over the last several days, Toby and James secured themselves in harnesses and attached themselves to the boat to ensure they wouldn't be swept away by the strong ocean currents. The team has also noted that pollution, in one form of one form or another, has made a strong presence over the last few days. The team is diligent in taking photos and marking down the coordinates where they are finding large patches of marine litter. Toby notes that "it is horrifying to see rubbish on such a regular basis - we are literally in the middle of no where. It shows the negative impact people are having on the oceans."
25 Dec 2022 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team takes a moment to celebrate the festive season
The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team celebrates the festive season at sea, taking the time to share the meaning of the holidays by swapping gifts with one another and reading letters from friends and family. While the team's spirit is still high as the ocean has created a mesmerizing experience for all, the letters made the team members think of home. The team has also noted that they are yet to see pollution or rubbish in the water. This might be due to the rough and windy water conditions. The water is cleaner the further out to sea the team travels, which has enabled them to drink desalinated water.
24 Dec 2022 || Toby sends a big thank you to friends, family, and partners in lead up to the holidays
21 Dec 2022 || Team manages another 100km battling tough weather conditions
The team managed to complete another 100km in one day, despite continuing to battle tough weather conditions and trying to avoid capsizing every ten minutes. It has been reported that the night shifts are also notably quite solitary, as the outside temperature slowly becomes colder and colder. The team must continue to row in total darkness, without the ability to see anything in front of them other than the speed monitor. The size of the waves can be tracked by the speed of the monitor; the higher the speed recorded, the greater the size of the wave. That said, the team notes that the night sky is an extraordinary experience. The sky is a rich tapestry of stars. The team mentioned that they have seen at least 5 or 6 shooting starts every night!
20 Dec 2022 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team passes 500km mark in ocean adventure
Last night the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team celebrated completing the first 500km of their 5000km journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
Having spent the last 7 days battling storms, big waves and rough weather in a rowing boat, the length of 2 cars, the team was delighted with their progress.
Arabian Ocean Rowing Team Founder, Toby Gregory, said: “It’s been a tough first 5 days but the team have pulled together well. The ocean has thrown everything it can at us and we are still going strong. Despite the stormy conditions and being miles away from land, we have still recorded numerous instances of pollution - it’s just awful.”
“As conditions settle at the end of this week we will use the plankton net to begin our trawl for microplastics as part of the work we are doing to support the UN Environment Programme's ‘Clean Seas’ initiative."
16 Dec 2022 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team faces tough weather conditions first few days out on the ocean.
Following the first couple days at sea, the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team has been both tested mentally and physically as they face rough seas overnight. The team predicts that once they hit the trade winds, they will be able to do what they set out to do, and increase their pace.
12 Dec 2022 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team sets off on their ocean adventure to raise awareness on plastic pollution for the Clean Seas campaign.
05 Dec 2022 || Arabian Ocean Rowing Team docking the boat in La Gomera, doing final touch ups before race day.