Emma Wolstenholme, 43, is spending the festive period at sea alongside Call to Earth in their challenge to increase climate action.
Emma, left(Image: Call to Earth and Water Plus)
A Scots woman will spend Christmas and New Year with sharks and dolphins in the middle of the ocean in an epic Atlantic adventure.Emma Wolstenholme, 43, is spending the festive period at sea alongside Call to Earth in their challenge to increase climate action. So far, Emma, from Grimsay in the Outer Hebrides, has encountered pods of dolphins, flying fish, a 6ft blue shark and seen gusts of 20-30 knots (winds of 23-34mph).
She said:”We’ve surfed down swells at nearly 7 knots, making excellent ground. Good winds have allowed the team to push hard and maintain speeds between 4.5 and 6.8 knots when rowing in pairs. The team have well and truly settled into life at sea — learning the rhythms of the boat, the ocean and each other. Morale is high.
“Wildlife encounters quickly became a highlight. A lone bird has taken to circling the boat daily, appearing like a quiet companion on the journey. Pods of dolphins — including spinners, launching themselves metres into the air — passed close by, lifting spirits during long hours on the oars.
“Flying fish skimmed the wave crests, and a truly unforgettable visitor appeared: a curious six-foot blue shark, calmly cruising alongside the stern before disappearing back into the deep.”
Emma is from the Outer Hebrides(Image: Call to Earth/Water Plus)
Emma won a World Record in 2023 after participating in an all-female crew who rowed around Great Britain. She also attempted to cross the Atlantic by rowing solo and unsupported the year prior, which an electrical failure unfortunately cut short.
In her latest festive adventure she, Call to Earth and other campaign groups are highlighting sustainable practices and solutions to help decarbonisation. They are rowing in shifts, 24-hours per day.
The group spends two hours rowing, one hour resting during daytime. In the evenings, solo night watches mean shifts of one hour on and two hours off.
The row is unassisted, with solar panels for power, in the gruelling event, with waves that can reach 20ft. They’re also using two solar panels to power their water maker, which converts saltwater into clean drinking water for hydration and meal preparation, as well as account for every piece of plastic and waste before and after the challenge.
Reducing water use cuts carbon emissions linked to supplying water to sites, which helps progress towards the UK’s Net Zero targets and sustainability goals. Emma says the row is a “call to action”.
Emma rowing as she set off for the adventure(Image: World’s Toughest Row)
She said: “Our row is a call to action – to innovate, conserve, and protect our planet and having Water Plus onboard helps power our mission to drive more action.
“We’re combining our voices with Water Plus, who have won awards for large-scale water efficiency results for its customers, to reach even more people with the actions to take to help and protect our planet, through more sustainable approaches.”
Tony McHardy, Managing Director of business water retailer Water Plus, said: “Water’s essential to businesses, communities, public services and to life, and we’re on a mission to team-up with others, including leading business and industry names, to deliver a significant increase in smarter water approaches in the UK to help the planet, people and future generations.
“Just like the awe-inspiring and intrepid Call to Earth team, we’re finding and highlighting innovative solutions to challenges organisations and the planet is facing with natural resources, so it’s great to combine our voices to raise awareness on sustainable practices we can all look at taking. We wish the Call to Earth crew the very best of luck for their endeavour and mission.”