Meet the motley crew
Scared of the dark
The crew will be rowing 1700 miles in the dark through the night as they head for Antigua.
Weight Loss
Each rower will lose 12kg of body weight during the row. This is affectionately known as The Atlantic Diet!
Which way?
The crew will need to navigate the 3200 miles taking into consideration tide, wind and weather conditions.
Everest? Easy!
More people have climbed Everest than have rowed the Atlantic
Adam Benjamin
Adam is partially sighted, he gets seasick standing on the Southwest Coast Path and he’s absolutely useless when he doesn’t get enough sleep, so why wouldn’t he want to row across an ocean? Literally the only reason he’s taking on this challenge is because one of his sons is a Royal Marine and the other is training for an Ironman, and he needs to wipe the smug looks off their faces.
Adam put this motley crew together. He couldn’t think of a better three blokes to share this journey with. Well, actually he did think of some better blokes, but they all turned the trip down.
Adam owns a sustainable tourism business in Boscastle and is passionate about maintaining the beauty of our coastal communities. Through this row he hopes to show that, as well as being on the front line when it comes to feeling the impacts of climate change, coastal communities are also at the front line when it comes to designing more sustainable approaches to 21st century living.
David 'Maddie' Pyle
Maddie brings some much-needed rock ‘n’ roll to the crew. Back in the day he played guitar in a band that supported The Specials on tour.
Having definitely done too much too young, in his spare time between trekking in the Himalaya and Andes, Kayaking down the Amazon river and kitesurfing, he has managed to forge a career as a marketing trainer with Dotdigital.
We invited Maddie to join the crew because he’s an ox of a man, capable of single-handedly rowing the crew across The Atlantic whilst the rest of us top up our tans and enjoy the sea life.
Maddie is a key architect of our ‘Conservation, Innovation, Adventure’ mission. He’s mad keen on using this trip to work with companies looking to showcase their lastest innovations in technology and communitations.
Every boat that rows the Atlantic needs a large extended team to make the row even remotely possible. Sea Change Atlantic are putting together a knowledgeable, experienced shore crew, to help with logistics and any on-water emergencies that may arise; as well as to handle the media and social media buzz that our crusade will attract.
Barnaby Kay
Barnaby brings a touch of celebrity to the crew. He thinks C-list – the crew can’t wait to debate this with him during the long hours of the row!
For 35 years, Barney was an accomplished actor. “Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made”, some wise soul once said. After 35 years of faking it, Barney decided he’d had enough.
Following the discovery in February 2024 of some extremely damaging applications for nearshore development in his beloved Port Quin and Port Isaac bays off Cornwall’s Atlantic coast, Barney stepped into a new role, becoming a relentless conservation campaigner and an ocean, wildlife and community advocate.
The word “ACTORVIST” is a derogatory term, describing those celebs who get behind some cuddly campaign, seemingly just for pics and clicks. That’s definitely not our Barney. Barney is a fully fledged, full-time, thorn in your side, activist.
So much so that Barney is now, to quote him, “going to row 3200 ruddy miles in a tiny boat with three other blokes suffering mid-life crises. Nutjobs, all of us.” He’s doing this to raise money for, and awareness of, ocean conservation and marine-focussed causes.
Richard Blackmore
Richard brings determination and resilience to the crew and with his comical wit can put a smile anyone’s face.
As the Silver Fox of the crew, he stands for Age Against the Machine. There’s life in the old dog yet! Believing in giving your all to truly accomplish any goal. Eat, sleep, row repeat 3200 miles.
Over the years, Richard has seen firsthand how big multinational companies are innovating to better respect our environment. In his day job with Mercedes, he has worked closely with the BYD Franchise to explore new energy solutions with zero emissions the aptly named oceanic range.
Richard’s hopes for his children, grandchildren and beyond are that the samples of the ocean taken on this row will be insightful for the future. It is the water that connects us, from home to the rest of the world. Let’s protect it together.