THE ONLY WAY IS ROWING: MERSEA WOMEN TAKE ON THE ATLANTIC
A team of Mersea women has pushed off on the adventure of a lifetime — rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean as The Only Way Is Rowing. Departing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, the crew is competing in the World’s Toughest Row – Atlantic, a challenge that demands extraordinary seamanship, resilience, and teamwork.
For many at West Mersea Yacht Club, the scale of this journey needs no explanation. An ocean that sailors cross with charts, sails and sea-room is, for this team, tackled by oars alone — two hours on, two hours off, 24 hours a day, for up to two months. It represents the true spirit of adventure and determination that the club has always encouraged.
Led by One of Our Own
The team is skippered by Samantha Wood, a proud member of West Mersea Yacht Club. Samantha completed her Ocean Yachtmaster theory through the club’s evening classes last year — training which has played an invaluable role in preparing for the navigation, weather routing, and risk management required for an ocean row.
The entire crew are members of OARsome Adventure Rowing, whose support and training have helped shape the team into the ocean-ready unit now making its way across the Atlantic.
Backed by the Island
The crew extends heartfelt thanks to the Mersea businesses who have made their campaign possible: Flow Gym, Blackwater Pearl, Coastal Osteopath,Friends Hair and Beauty, Freds DIY, Mandie Holgate (BWN Insiders), OARsome Adventure Rowing, and John Fowlers Solicitors. Their support reflects the strong community spirit that runs through the island — and through WMYC itself.
Rowing for Essex Causes
This is not just an ocean crossing. The team is raising funds for three important charities with strong Essex connections:
- Children’s Hearts UK, supporting young cardiac patients and their families
- The Wilderness Foundation, delivering nature-based programmes across Essex
- Rewilding Britain, supporting habitat restoration projects that benefit the wider region
These charities reflect the team’s belief in strengthening communities, supporting vulnerable families, and protecting the natural world that surrounds our island.
How the Community Can Get Involved
Supporters can back the team in several ways. A fundraising campaign is live on GiveWheel, and the crew is inviting people to sponsor a mile for £10 through their website: www.theonlywayisrowing.co.uk. Every sponsored mile supports their chosen charities — and supporters also have the chance to win £500 if they choose the secret “lucky mile.”
It’s a fun and meaningful way for the Mersea and WMYC family to be part of the crossing.
A True Mersea Send-Off — And a Welcome Home to Come
The crew’s Leaving Party was a fantastic evening filled with laughter, encouragement, and the unmistakable Mersea buzz that comes when the island rallies together.
And when the team reaches Antigua, they look forward to returning to the warm embrace of their home club. West Mersea Yacht Club will host their official Welcome Home Party, where members will be the first to hear about life in the mid-Atlantic: wildlife encounters, moonlit shifts, towering seas and the grit it takes to move a small rowing boat across an ocean.
Track the Crew From Your Chart Table
WMYC members can follow the team throughout their crossing:
- Facebook: The Only Way Is Rowing — regular updates, videos and life-at-sea insights
- YB Races App: Real-time GPS tracking of the boat as she makes her way to Antigua
It’s the perfect way to follow their progress alongside your morning tide tables or over an evening pint.
