Three friends, all alike in ambition, are undertaking the ultimate ocean encounter in 2023, The World’s Toughest Row Atlantic Challenge. The mission is two-fold, firstly to communicate the detrimental effect of waste items on the ocean. Plastic is the biggest culprit, but many materials do not decompose, polluting the water, damaging ecosystems and threatening marine life.

The second is to raise awareness of the power of seagrass and the role it plays in combating the climate crisis. Home to many sea creatures and pivotal in the protection of shorelines, seagrass is the unsung hero of the ocean, not to mention a huge carbon sink, sequestering it 35 times faster than the rainforests. However, its survival is threatened by human intervention, including mooring anchors, buoys and pollution, to name a few.

The Mermaid Atlantic crew are passionate about the environment around them due to their island home, so it’s only right to use the row as a platform to raise awareness and donations for charities dedicated to the protection and preservation of the natural world. With a goal of £2500 for each charity, the team are grateful for anything you can spare.

The Team are raising money for three charities, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, The Seahorse Trust and Surfers Against Sewage.