Marine Life & Conservation
Three women, a boat, the Atlantic and whole load of plastic
Trio with no rowing experience take on the world’s toughest row to increase awareness of plastic pollution and raise funds for Marine Conservation Society
Three office workers, whose biggest daily challenge up until now has been crossing London at rush hour, are taking on the world’s toughest row, as they set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands bound for Antigua. It’s a feat fewer people have completed than have climbed Everest and the all-female crew are tackling it with no previous rowing experience.
Susan Ronaldson (42), Caroline Wilson (31), and Jessica Rego (28) are one of 30 teams taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. The teams left the Canaries on December 12th and will arrive in Antigua in around 50 days’ time.
The trio, ‘Status Row’, are hoping to highlight the amount of plastic in the Atlantic as they row their boat, ‘Poppy’, 3,000 miles day and night for over seven weeks. The crew are also raising funds for the UK’s leading marine charity, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), where Susan Ronaldson is a trustee.
Susan, from Essex, Caroline from Hackney and Jess, who’s originally from Bermuda but now living in East London, say preparing for the event has turned their urban lives upside down: “We all have full-time jobs, so in the evenings and weekends we’ve transformed into fundraisers, beach cleaners, public speakers, event organisers, social media fiends, logistic planners, first aiders, content writers and gym buffs. But we know it’s all going to be worth it.” said Susan.
Image: Team Status Row
Carrying all their food and supplies on board the 7m x 2m vessel, they’ll face 40ft waves, sleep deprivation, isolation, salt sores, and sharks. Before signing up to the challenge, the team said they’d not been on a rowing machine let alone a rowing boat, and all three have spent the last eight months building up strength and stamina with weights and improving endurance doing two hour-long sessions on an indoor rowing machine. Whilst at sea, the team will be burning between 6,000 – 8,000 calories a day!
Caroline Wilson says she feels an unbelievable sense of pride for everything they’ve achieved as a team to get this far: “We’re coming to the end of the first chapter in what’s going to be an almighty trilogy; I’m sad for this part to be over, but so excited to start the next. I’m most looking forward to experiencing something so unique, and really testing the limits of endurance. It’s such a privilege to be able to undertake this event and I’ll try not to forget that when that massive 40ft wave is fast approaching, which is the thing I’m least looking forward to! When people consider how difficult this challenge is going to be, it helps to put into perspective how seemingly hard is it to refuse a single-use plastic bottle.”
Susan Ronaldson says right now it almost doesn’t feel real: “Arriving at the start line I feel a mixture of excitement and anxiety. I’m most looking forward to being out with nature; sunrises, sunsets and hopefully, an array of wildlife. I’m least looking forward to the exhaustion, both mental and physical. There’s been lots of interest in our campaign to row an ocean, which has given us a platform to talk about how people can change their plastic habits and protect the environment, and it’s something that I plan to continue when I return home.”
Jess Rego says she’s feeling constantly stressed: “We’ve come so far, but there’s still a lot to be done before we take on the Atlantic. It’s all getting real now. I’m most looking forward to the simplicity of life at sea, after all the planning and preparation is done. I’m least looking forward to the chicken tikka! I hope that we can prove that everyone had the ability to do their apart to tackle a large challenge. We often stay that tackling plastic pollution is like rowing an ocean in that it’s one small action at a time. If every person following our race adopted one new habit to cut down on their plastic pollution, I would see that as a major win.”
Sandy Luk, MCS Chief Executive Officer, says: “The challenge our trustee Susan, along with Jess and Caroline, is about to embark on is simply enormous. Everyone at MCS is in total awe of what they’re about to undertake. They are all so passionate about raising the profile of ocean litter. And what better way to do it than by rowing through the pollution. Sadly, we know they will see all too much plastic and other debris as they row from the Canaries to Antigua. However, their first-hand knowledge will be invaluable, and we look forward to working with the team to further raise the profile of the crisis our oceans are facing when they return to the UK.”
Team Status Row left San Sebastián in La Gomera, off Tenerife, on December 12th, with up to 30 other teams from around the world.
You can support them by making a donation here – https://uk.virginmoneygiving.
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
Marine Life & Conservation
Shark Trust Asks Divers to help with Shark Sightings this Global Citizen Science Month
Whether you are stuck for ideas of what to do with the kids or are off on the dive trip of your dreams. You can get involved in Citizen Science Month and help the Shark Trust by providing vital data about sharks are rays both close to home and further afield.
In addition to reporting the sharks and rays you see on your dives, the eggcases you find on the beach, the Shark Trust is looking for some specific data from divers who are asked to report any Oceanic Whitetip and Basking Sharks.
Oceanic Whitetip Sharks
The Shark Trust are looking specifically for Oceanic Whitetip Shark sightings over the coming weeks and months. So, if you are diving anywhere in the world, please report your sightings via the website or app.
Website: https://recording.sharktrust.org/
App: Search The Shark Trust in your app store
The Oceanic Whitetip. Known for their incredibly long dorsal and pectoral fins, this species was once the most abundant oceanic-pelagic species of shark on the planet.
Large and stocky, they are grey or brown above, and white below and famous for their huge rounded first dorsal fin and paddle-like pectoral fins. The fins also highly prized within the shark fin trade. Whilst they are mostly solitary, Oceanic Whitetips do occasionally hunt in groups.
An inquisitive species, they were easy prey for fisheries. Combined with their low reproductive rate, they were inevitably at high risk of population depletion. And declines of up to 99% have been reported in certain sea areas. They are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Redlist (2019).
Conservation efforts to discourage further declines include listing on CITES Appendix II and CMS Appendix I. They’re also the only species prohibited from take by all the Tuna RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organisations). However, these measures do not mean that Oceanic Whitetips are not still caught – whether targeted or as bycatch – in some parts of the world. With populations declining at such a high rate, effective implementation of management measures is essential to ensure that the species can recover.
If you are lucky enough to get an image of an Oceanic Whitetip and you record your sighting on the Shark Trust app or website YOU CAN WIN! All images submitted with sightings, that also give consent to use in conservation messaging, will be in with a chance to win an Oceanic Whitetip T-shirt and mug. The competition will run until the end of “Shark Month” in July – so keep those sightings (and images) coming in.
Basking Sharks
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) season is upon us, and the Shark Trust is asking everyone to keep an eye out for these majestic giants over the summer months. If you see any, you can record your sighting to the Basking Shark Sightings database.
Each year, these mighty fish return to British waters to feed on plankton. You may see one, (or a few if you’re really lucky) from around April-October. They can be seen feeding at the surface of the water, where they look like they’re basking in the sun. Thus, their name!
Sighting hotspots around the British Isles include southwest England, Isle of Man, north coast of Ireland, and western Scotland. The Sea of the Hebrides is the most prolific sightings area in Scotland, but they have been spotted all around the coast and have even ventured into some of the sea lochs. The Shark Trust has received thousands of sightings since the Basking Shark project began, but more data is needed to truly understand what is going on with population numbers and distribution. You can help by recording your sightings this summer.
Great Eggcase Hunt
The Shark Trust has an Easter Egg Hunt with a difference for you to try. Take part in the Great Eggcase Hunt and get involved with a big citizen science project that helps shark, ray and skate conservation. And it’s an enjoyable activity for all the family.
The Shark Trust also want snorkellers and divers to record their underwater eggcase findings. Underwater records help pinpoint exactly where sharks and skates are laying their eggs and can help link to beach records. Learning the depth and substrate that they lay on also helps better understand the species.
Find out more: https://www.sharktrust.org/great-eggcase-hunt
Whether you are diving, snorkelling or exploring on the beach you can take part in Citizen Science Month and get actively involved in shark and ray conservation. Find out more: www.sharktrust.org
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