Most of us dream about adventure. Few of us say yes when it unexpectedly knocks on the door.
For one member of Team Saltire Tides, the chance to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean arrived with almost no warning.
We chatted with Lauren Wilde for this latest Seashell Spirit feature ahead of the World's Toughest Row challenge.
What made you say "yes" to rowing 3,000 miles across the ocean?
Funnily enough, rowing the Atlantic wasn't exactly at the top of my list of things to do! It was definitely on the bucket list, but not something I ever imagined I'd be doing anytime soon.
Then, completely out of the blue, the opportunity came along. My flatmate had originally entered the World's Toughest Row – Atlantic with another team, but when those plans changed, she asked me and our other flatmate if we'd be interested. We looked at each other, thought about it for all of five seconds, and signed up there and then—because, honestly... how often does an opportunity like that come along?!
As our campaign has grown, we've spent a lot of time thinking about why we're doing this. For all of us, it's about proving to ourselves that we're capable of doing hard things, but also showing others—especially women and younger generations—that with a positive mindset, determination, and a healthy dose of stubbornness, you can achieve far more than you ever thought possible.
On a personal level, I was also tired of hearing people say, "I'd love to do that, but..." I didn't want to become one of those people who waited for the perfect time or the perfect circumstances. I've always been endlessly curious about the world and completely in love with adventure, so when this opportunity landed in my lap, saying "yes" felt like the only real option.
After all, if you're ever going to have the adventure of a lifetime... why not row across an ocean?
What scares you most about the crossing?
I think most people expect us to say the weather, the huge waves, the sea life, or the big ships—and of course those things are all worthy of a healthy amount of respect. But honestly, I don't really know what scares me yet because I've never done anything like this before!
I'm definitely a little apprehensive about the bigger weather systems and the thought of being in truly massive waves. And, naturally, my biggest concern would be if something were to happen to one of the girls. That said, we've put a huge amount of work into preparing ourselves, both physically and mentally, and we've trained for as many scenarios as we possibly can. Hopefully we'll never need to put most of that training into practice!
What makes the Saltire Tides team work so well together?
I think one of our biggest strengths is that we've embraced the fact that we're three completely different people. We each bring different personalities, strengths, and ways of thinking, and rather than trying to change that, we've learned how to make it work for us.
Although we've all lived together for a period of time, we all work pretty crazy hours, so it wasn't until this campaign that we really got to know each other properly. It's been a journey of learning how each of us communicates, what motivates us, and how we each respond under pressure.
We've also been incredibly lucky to work with a sports psychologist, who has helped us prepare not just physically, but emotionally and mentally for the crossing. If there's one thing we've learned, it's that clear, honest communication is absolutely everything.
Can things get a little bit fizzy sometimes? Of course! But every time that's happened, it almost always comes down to poor communication rather than anything else. The important thing is that we all want this badly enough—and we value our friendship enough—to have the conversations, clear the air, and move forward together.
At the end of the day, we're not just rowing partners; we're teammates, friends, and each other's support system for 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. I think that's what will get us to the finish line.
What skills from climbing and ultra running transfer surprisingly well to ocean rowing?
More than people might think! The obvious one is resilience—learning to stay calm when things don't go to plan and to keep moving forward, one step (or one stroke!) at a time.
Endurance sports also teach you discipline. There are so many days when you don't feel like getting out for a run, heading to the gym, or jumping on the rowing machine, but you do it anyway because consistency is what gets you to the start line—and hopefully to the finish line too.
I also think climbing has taught me to stay calm and think clearly when you're in challenging situations. Panicking rarely helps, whereas taking a breath, assessing the situation, and making good decisions usually does.
More than anything though, I think it's the mindset that transfers best. Whether it's climbing, ultra running, or rowing across an ocean, they all attract people who are curious, who love to explore, and who enjoy doing things that challenge them. At their core, they're all about discovering what you're capable of—and then pushing that little bit further.
What's one luxury you'll miss most at sea?
Without a doubt, cuddling the dog! I'm going to miss him so much while we're away. (My family too... I suppose!) so those first hugs after getting back onto dry land are going to be unreal!
A very close second is my comfy pillow. I can cope without a lot of luxuries, but after weeks of sleeping in a tiny rowing boat, I have a feeling I'll be dreaming about that pillow almost as much as the dog!
In twenty years' time, what do you hope you'll remember most from this adventure?
I hope that in 20 years' time, when I'm taking my own kids on adventures, I'll be able to inspire them to stay curious, embrace the unknown, and never be afraid to chase the things that excite them—whatever those adventures look like.
More than anything, though, I hope I'll remember the people. Adventures are always about so much more than the destination, and getting to share something this extraordinary with two incredible women is something I'll never take for granted.
The adventure world is small, but the ocean rowing world is even smaller. By the end of this, we'll be part of a group of fewer than 2,000 people to have ever rowed an ocean—and even more incredibly, fewer than 500 women. That's pretty epic! But what will matter most to me won't be the statistics; it'll be the laughs, the hard moments we got through together, the wildlife we'll (hopefully!) see, and the memories we made along the way.
Those are the stories I hope I'll still be telling in another 20 years... and, as an added bonus, I'll never have to panic when an interviewer asks, "So, tell me about a time you overcame a challenge?".
Thanks for sharing your Seashell Spirit with us, Lauren. Now go smash that row! Follow Lauren and her team across the Atlantic on Instagram here
Now get off the internet and get outside.
