If you’ve spent much time at the pub, you’ll know how the conversation can get away from you. Tall tales are told and monumental plans are made, many of which will be forgotten in the morning.
However, for Jon, Steve, Dan, and Jason, their idea to row the Atlantic Ocean – which started over a few pints – certainly wasn’t left by the wayside. And now, they’re preparing for their 50-day journey, which will pit them against marlin attacks, waves up to 40ft high, and 3,000 miles of open water.
But their voyage isn’t just a test of endurance. The team is determined to raise £200,000 for charity, and teachers Jon (51) and Steve (61) are using their platform to educate people on health and sustainability.
We spoke to Jon and Steve to learn more about their mission and what lies ahead for the ‘Lessons from a Boat’ crew.
“It’s one of those things that just captures my imagination”
Both Jon and Steve have always been passionate about watersports. Growing up in Yorkshire, Jon spent his childhood sailing and windsurfing on local gravel pits before becoming an instructor. This job took him south to Chichester, where opportunities for watersports abound.
“I’ve been glued to the place because of the sea,” Jon explains. “Chichester Harbour, the Solent, the Isle of Wight.”
Steve, on the other hand, spent his formative years in Zimbabwe, enjoying Africa’s great outdoors, before moving to Winchester when he was 16. After completing a sports studies degree at the city’s university, he also decided to put down roots in Chichester.
But the pair share more than their love for the ocean. Recently retired, Steve spent two decades as a primary school headteacher, while Jon is still working as a deputy headteacher at a school in Portsmouth. And throughout their 25-year friendship, they’ve toyed with the idea of rowing the Atlantic.
“It’s one of those things that just captures my imagination – the idea of crossing the Atlantic under your own steam,” Jon explains.
However, it wasn’t until 2021, when retirement was approaching for Steve, that the two men decided to put their plan into action.
Steve says, “I’ve heard lots about people who retire and have no goals, and their motivation just falls off a cliff. So I really liked the idea of having this particular challenge. And two years ago, we said, ‘Right, if we’re going to do it, we need to do it now.’”
So the two men phoned physiotherapist Jason, a fellow member of their sailing club, and Dan, an owner of a product design company and Jon’s longtime friend, who were both eager to join the team. And, with that, the Lessons from a Boat team was born.
The first thing the newly formed crew did in 2021 was sign up for the World’s Toughest Row, an annual organised race that sets off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands and finishes in Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean. The next available slot was December 2024, so they didn’t begin training together until 2023.
“This time last year, we all took a weekend sailing together,” Jon says. “We set off from Chichester Harbour to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, tried the dried meals, worked together, and just got used to being on board.”
It was also around this time that the team got indoor rowing machines (or ‘ergs’) so they could begin their land-based training. In addition to time on the water, they each spend an hour to an hour and a half in the gym every day. “We’ve got a program that involves flexibility, strength, and aerobic stuff on the erg,” says Steve.
But things really hit home for the team when their boat arrived in early summer – a 28ft vessel that had completed the race the year before.
Jon says, “We were fortunate because the arrival of the boat allowed us to get stuck into some water-based training relatively early. A lot of crews only have the boat in the summer season before the event.”
Since then, the quartet has spent as much time on the boat as possible: navigating the Solent, sleeping in what Jon describes as the “very, very cosy” cabins, and generally practising for their time on the Atlantic.
Jon explains, “We’re required, among other things, to log at least 120 hours of rowing – including various drills and at least 24 hours of nighttime rowing. So we’ve made a good inroad into that. Last weekend, we had to break through the ice to get the boat in the water.”
“We want to use this to inspire and share lessons”
While the four men are excited by the prospect of adventure and challenging themselves mentally and physically, they’re also determined to make the most of the opportunity to have a wider impact. “As educationalists, we want to use this to inspire and share lessons,” Jon explains.
So far, this has involved participating in assemblies and workshops in schools to help educate children on ocean sustainability. Jon and Steve have also been giving talks at local sailing and rugby clubs, as well as Jon’s son’s scout group.
Plus, they plan to deliver virtual lessons en route from the middle of the Atlantic. “We’re still trying to figure out how we can do this because children love a hook,” Steve says.
And, alongside their educational work, the team are aiming to raise £200,000 for charity – specifically Diabetes UK, Cancer Research, and the Final Straw Foundation.
The crew chose the first two charities because they have loved ones who’ve been impacted by the diseases – including Jason’s son, who’s type 1 diabetic. The Final Straw is a Hampshire local charity whose aim is to help eliminate plastic marine pollution and preserve our oceans, which is a cause deeply important to all four men.
“Age is a real advantage”
Speaking about what they can expect from a typical day out on the Atlantic, Steve says…
“You do two hours on the oars and two hours off – and that’s 24/7 for 50 days. In your off hours, you’ve got to do body maintenance: for example, eat, check your hands, and make sure you haven’t got any sores on your bum. But you’ve also got to maintain the boat by doing things like cleaning the solar panels. Then, you can potentially get a little bit of sleep.”
Although, in the treacherous conditions of the Atlantic, getting a few winks isn’t always simple.
“In the first couple of weeks of this year’s race, rowers were surfing down these monster waves,” Steve explains. “When you’ve got adrenaline coursing through your body, it can be difficult to sleep. I’ve been reading accounts of all the different hallucinations the crews had because when you’re sleep-deprived, you can see all kinds of things.”
In addition to sleep deprivation, sea sickness is a major concern for the Lessons from a Boat crew.
Jon says, “I’ve spoken to some of the most hardened seafaring types who’ve never been seasick. But when they do this, they are. I think we pretty much need to assume that we’re going to get seasick, so it’s just how we manage it – and that’s down to teamwork.”
As well as internal dangers like sleep deprivation and seasickness, there are plenty of external hurdles to contend with too. As one of the busiest maritime trade areas in the world, the Atlantic is continually crisscrossed by hulking container ships that dwarf the crew’s rowing boat. There’s also the constant threat of attack from one of the ocean’s residents, but not necessarily one you might imagine.
“Marlin strikes are where the fish’s spike goes through the bottom of your boat,” Steve says. “You need to carry out damage repair immediately so you can stay afloat.”
In January, a trio taking part in The World’s Toughest Row found themselves in exactly this situation. Luckily they managed to plug the hole left by the marlin’s bill with a champagne bottle leftover from their New Year’s Eve toast.
Steve continues, “There are also minor things like flying fish that hit you on the side of the face on a fairly regular basis. So some crews wear goggles at night.”
But, whatever happens, Jon and Steve are confident that their age and experience will help them cross the finish line.
“Age is a real advantage,” Steve explains. “While we might not have the physical capabilities of people half our age, we’re hopefully slightly wiser and more rational. If things go wrong, we can respond in a positive way.”
Jon adds, “I think as you get older, you develop the ability to keep a perspective on things and look at the bigger picture. As with other endurance tests, like long-distance runs, you can stand back and think, ‘This will end.’ But equally, there are some downsides as well to doing this in later life. We’re gonna have to be careful to look after ourselves.”
“We want to [...] share the journey with as many people as possible”
![“We want to [...] share the journey with as many people as possible”](https://media.restless.co.uk/uploads/2024/04/share-the-journey-with-as-many-people-as-possible.jpg)
Jon, Steve, Jason, and Dan are still nine months off the race, but they’re already reaping the satisfaction of their challenge in unexpected ways. For example, they’ve found it refreshing to step into the commercial world to raise funds for their adventure because, as Steve explains, “90% of this challenge is getting the boat to the start line.”
Jon says, “The most rewarding part has been trying to market ourselves: coming up with a brand, talking to business leaders, all that kind of thing. Because we’re running a campaign and we’ve got to make ends meet. There’s a pressure and stress that comes with that, but I think that’s what makes you perform.”
So far, they’re working with Chichester and Plymouth University, as well as health technology company Abbott. Abbott is sponsoring them and collecting data from their voyage to learn about the effects of a marathon adventure on the body. However, the crew is still on the lookout for other partners.
Jon says, “We’re open to talking to anyone who can help us do our thing: individuals, businesses, charities – anyone who feels they’d like to be on board with this journey. At the very basic level, we’re a floating billboard if someone wants to have their branding on our boat. But we want to be able to give something back to whoever is supporting us.”
“We’re definitely at that point in life where we’ve got good reasons for doing this”
But while raising funds for the voyage is crucial, the purpose of their mission always returns to sharing the experience with others in whatever way they can.
“We want to get the boat safely to the start line, raise money for charity, and share the journey with as many people as possible,” Jon says. “Then they can take whatever lessons they want from it – whether that’s to become more active, take on a challenge themselves, or just learn something new. Some people say we’re mad, but we’re definitely at that point in life where we’ve got good reasons for doing this.”
To follow their journey, check out the Lessons from a Boat team on Instagram here. And to find out how you can donate, sponsor, or help in any way, you can visit their website using the button below and follow the contact information.
We’ll also check in with Jon, Steve, Dan, and Jason later on in the year to see how their progress is going. So keep your eyes peeled in our email newsletters.
Are you inspired by the Lessons from a Boat team’s story? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.