Ollie Quilter Solo Atlantic Row December 2026

Although the simplest iteration of the directive of this challenge is simple: keep rowing until you get there, I’m sure it won’t be lost on anyone that the reality is far from this. I’ll be dealing with sleep deprivation, salt sores, blistered hands, and the unfiltered unpredictability of one of the most powerful environments on earth. From scorching heat to 20-foot waves, to the unnerving threat of marlin strikes, I’ll be facing it all entirely alone.

And that - the solitude- is the part I’ve always found hardest to imagine. Once the coastline of La Gomera disappears behind me, it’ll likely be 1–2 months before I see land again. For someone who has always struggled being by themselves, the thought of that level of isolation is daunting. But it’s also exactly why I feel compelled to do this.

This journey didn’t begin with my own decision to row an ocean, though. Its roots stretch back to 2003, when my dad completed his own crossing as part of a pair in the Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race - the third-ever edition of the event. I grew up listening to his stories: the storms, the fear, the wildlife, the unexpected moments of joy, and the sense of purpose that carried him across. For as long as I can remember, I never thought I would be following in his wake. However, as time has gone on, I have started to wonder whether I could test myself in the same way, face what he faced, and see if I had the same resilience in me.

When I finally committed to rowing the Atlantic myself, I quickly realised that the crossing is only half the challenge. As many past rowers say, 80% of the work is simply getting to La Gomera with everything ready to go.But it was during this early preparation that I began to understand what my row should stand for - and who I wanted to support through it.

One of the charities I’m rowing for is The Goed Life, created by the Goedhuis family to help people with learning disabilities access meaningful employment and find a stronger sense of belonging in their communities. I met the Goedhuis family while working for them on a holiday in Cornwall, and it was there that I first heard about their mission. They founded the charity after Sam Goedhuis, who has Down’s Syndrome, began working in a local café and discovered not just a job, but connection, confidence, and purpose.

What stayed with me was the sheer dedication the family showed to Sam, to his friend Simon, and to others whose lives were changed by The Goed Life. When Laura Goedhuis once joked in an email that if I ever decided to “do something crazy,” I should think of them, I didn’t realise that those words would echo back to me the moment I decided on this challenge.

With 94% of the 1.5 million people in the UK with learning disabilities currently unemployed, their work matters deeply. I felt compelled to support them.

The second charity I’m rowing for is CALM - the Campaign Against Living Miserably. Mental health struggles are, at their core, painfully lonely. The feeling of battling something internal and invisible mirrors - in many ways - the solitude of this row. I’ve experienced mental health challenges myself, and I’ve seen people close to me go through them too.

So rowing the Atlantic solo felt symbolically right. It’s a physical metaphor for the isolation so many people live with every day, often quietly and without support. CALM works to change that. Their helpline offered over three million minutes of life-saving conversation in 2023 alone. They help people hold on. They help people find their way forward. Supporting their work feels deeply personal.

And although I’ll be physically alone out there, I won’t truly be on my own. I’ll be carrying the encouragement and belief of everyone who has helped me get to that start line, and everyone who stands behind these two incredible causes.

If I succeed, I won’t just be joining a tiny club of people who were silly enough to think rowing an ocean was a good idea - I’ll be doing something that really means something.

So, stick around and help in any way you can. Whatever you may choose to give or do in support, it will be immensely appreciated.