It is the story of three university generations of marine biologists who brought to life a fantastic idea: that of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.
Some texts are more surprising than others.
“Would you be interested in doing World’s Toughest Row? »
Chantale Bégin received this message on her cell phone one day in January 2021. Sender: Lauren Shea, one of her former students in the marine biology course she teaches at the University of South Florida in Tampa .
“Lauren was in Antigua,” she explains to La Presse. She worked on a training boat, which I also worked on before. […] She saw rowing boats arriving in Antigua. Lots of people were there to welcome them. She asked where they were coming from because there isn’t much east of Antigua! She was told that they had arrived from the coast of Africa and had rowed across the Atlantic. »
Chantale was already aware of the existence of this race: two years earlier, she had witnessed the same spectacle during one of her visits to Antigua. So she responded to the text as follows:
« Yup, let’s go. »
In a few hours, the 44-year-old Quebecer was embarked on this major project with two of her 27-year-old former students, Lauren and Noelle Shea. To complete the team, Chantale proposed integrating the one who was formerly her doctoral supervisor at Simon Fraser University, 61-year-old Quebecer Isabelle Côté.
Like that, in some 48 hours, the two Quebecers and the two Americans formed a quartet of three university generations of passionate biologists ready to embark on an incredible, perilous, even a little crazy adventure.
Team Name: Salty Science.
Isabelle Côté is a swimmer and long-distance runner. Chantale Bégin has already done triathlons and different sports. They know training. Except that in this case, “we’re really talking about something different,” says Isabelle.
Rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, from east to west, is – obviously – a whole other challenge.
Since none of the four women had any rowing experience, they had to learn to row. They needed to “have good technique to be efficient and not get injured, to be able to do this 12 hours a day” for 40 to 50 days.
“We’ve been training for a year and a half with a coach who gives us tailor-made training because it’s quite important physical training,” explains Chantale. It’s a lot of strength work because the muscles have to be ready to work 12 hours a day. »
Over the past three years, the four women and friends have devoted time and money to their preparation. Everything must be thought of to allow them to be at sea without assistance for up to eight weeks.
In addition to the duly calculated food, the four women will bring a watermaker on the boat, which will allow them to drink sea water through a filter. They will also have a 12-volt battery, a GPS, a marine chart, an autopilot, plenty of survival equipment, three satellite phones, emergency position-indicating radio beacons and everything needed to repair any breakages that could occur on the boat.
“There could be big storms,” explains Chantale Bégin. We expect it, we are ready to have big waves. The boat has already made three crossings. It is specially made for rowing across the ocean. If it capsizes, it is designed to right itself. »
All equipment will be stored in closed cabins at all times so that nothing gets wet in the event of a capsize.
The preparation, which has lasted for three years, allows the team to eliminate fears… even if some remain.
“I have lots of phobias which include the dark, being in the middle of the sea without seeing the coast and the big waves,” says Isabelle Côté, laughing. I think it’s a way to cure all these phobias at the same time! »
“What worries me more are the moments that we are unable to predict,” adds her friend. If there is a major breakdown on the boat, there is a big crack and it becomes dangerous to stay on it… It shouldn’t happen, but oh well. »
Each team participating in the World’s Toughest Row must choose a cause that is close to their heart and for which they will raise funds. The four biologists did not take long to make their choice on the cause of the conservation of marine environments.
“We’re excited to tell people about this,” Chantale says. We give presentations on this so that people understand what problems we have in marine conservation, what the solutions are, what we can do. But it’s clear that we’re also excited to have an adventure on the ocean. »
As all four work in the field of education, they targeted three organizations that emphasize capacity development to resolve the major issues related to the conservation of marine environments.
They therefore chose the Bamfield Marine Scientists Center, a research station offering field courses to marine biology students on Vancouver Island. “With the funds that we are going to give to Bamfield, we want to create a scholarship for students from backgrounds less represented in marine sciences,” says Chantale.
There is also Greenwave, an American organization that works to achieve sustainable aquaculture. And Shellback Expeditions, founded by Chantale, which supports research and conservation actions for coastal ecosystems in the eastern Caribbean.
So far, US$200,000 has been raised out of a US$500,000 goal. “It’s still going well for a gang of scientists who don’t know much about fundraising and marketing! », exclaims Chantale.
A certain portion of the funds raised, approximately $100,000, will be used to pay for the race. The rest will be divided between the three organizations.
The departure will take place on December 12, in the Canary Islands.
“Are you doing it mainly to win or mainly for the experience? », we ask the two Quebecers.
“It’s an important question that we asked ourselves,” replies Isabelle. When we asked ourselves: if there are dolphins, do we stop rowing and dive into the water to see them or do we continue rowing? The four, without hesitation, said: we’re going to see the dolphins.
“We are marine biologists before being competitors,” she continues. We really want to have a unique experience. We love everything ocean. We will have experiences that we will probably never have again. We’re going to maximize that. And if it costs us the race, it costs us the race. »