Four men are preparing to spend Christmas at sea as they row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in one of the world’s most demanding endurance challenges this December, raising funds for charity.
The Atlantic Aardvarks will undertake an unsupported crossing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean, lasting approximately 40 days at sea over the Christmas and New Year period. Setting off on 12 December, the crew will swap busy London life for weeks aboard a small ocean rowing boat, battling sleep deprivation, extreme weather, physical exhaustion and the relentless demands of life in the open ocean.
They hope to raise more than £150,000 for a collection of charities supporting Type 1 diabetes research, cancer research and community welfare. They are fundraising for two charities as a full team, Breakthrough T1D and The London Irish Centre, alongside one team member rowing for the cancer charity VeloSano.
Jamie Douglas, 52, is the team’s skipper. He lives in London and chose to support Breakthrough T1D after his youngest child, Johnny, was diagnosed with the condition. The charity conducts type 1 diabetes research searching for new therapies and treatments for those living with it.
Fellow crewmate Dominic Crossley, 52, also has relatives who live with diabetes, including his nephew Henry and Johnny, who is his Godson. Dominic is a lawyer working in London for Payne Hicks Beach, whose office has been occupied for over 350 years.
Charlie Murray, 55, is one of the UK’s leading Gastroenterologists, working at the Royal Free Hospital and Cleveland Clinic London, making him the designated doctor during the expedition. He is individually raising funds for VeloSano, a global fundraising movement aiming to end cancer by connecting the community with the Cleveland Clinic’s global research and innovation.
The fourth member of the crew is Dominic’s cousin, Francis Keane, who joined the team late after its previous final member, Nick, had to drop out of the challenge due to work commitments. Francis is 44 years old and co-runs a London architecture practice called HF Studio.
All four members have proud Irish heritage making the London Irish Centre an obvious choice for the final charity. The centre, based in Camden, offers a warm Irish welcome to whoever needs support in the city, including those facing personal challenges, loneliness or just wanting a sense of community.
The challenge will see the crew rowing around the clock while navigating one of the most unpredictable stretches of ocean on the planet.
To support the Atlantic Aardvarks fundraiser, visit: https://atlanticaardvarks.com/
