Basingstoke man rows Atlantic raising £50k for navy charity

Callum Fraser, 32, was part of the HMS Oardacious team rowing from La Gomera, Tenerife to Antigua - 3,000 miles away. 

The team arrived at 1.06am local time and in doing so became the fastest serving military team to row across the Atlantic with a time of 35 days, 17 hours and 19 minutes. 

Callum completed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge alongside Hugo Mitchell-Heggs, Jonathan Norfolk and Thomas Hutchinson. All of the team are serving members of the Royal Navy. 

Speaking about the challenge, Callum said: "A friend came to me with an idea and that was to row the Atlantic for charity. We decided we wanted to do something for mental health.

"Being away for months without contact from your family can be a challenge for anyone, and that, coupled with not being able to talk about what we've been doing while we've been away, can result in stress, or mental illness such as PTSD."

The team raised over £50,000 for The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, to support mental health and wellbeing schemes in the Royal Navy for Submariners and their families.

This is the second time that Callum has rowed the Atlantic, completing the 2019 Atlantic challenge with the same boat and charity, raising over £100,000 in the process.

Callum and his team beat their previous time to recapture the World Record for the fastest military team to row across the Atlantic. 

Callum continued: "After completing the challenge in 2019, we had actually planned to sell the boat. Not long after Covid-19 hit and the sale fell through. We were disappointed but realised we'd actually been given an opportunity to run the race again, so we thought, why not?"

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Getting to the start line took the team about 18 months, consisting of arranging corporate sponsorship, fundraising and training for the event.

"The hardest part is almost the run-up to the actual race. Although we were working full time, the team were allowed time to arrange all the details and train our bodies so we were as ready as possible."

HMS Oardacious arrived at La Gomera in December 2022. Race organisers inspected the team's equipment and boat, to ensure they were ready for the race. HMS Oardacious was one of 43 teams competing.

"The race started, and from that point, we were completely unsupported," said Callum. "Everything we needed was already on the boat. We had dehydrated rations, solar panels to make our own electric, and a filter to make our own water. Also on board were cleaning supplies, to make sure we kept our hygiene up."

Two members of the team rowed while the other two slept simultaneously, to ensure the boat continued its gruelling journey. They took turns in two-hour shifts, which allowed the resting members to get some well-earned sleep.

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On their journey across the Atlantic, the team saw a pod of dolphins swimming alongside them and had a whale swim underneath the boat. The best and worst thing about the race for Callum was the rowing overnight.

Callum said: "When it was cloudy it was a nightmare. It was pitch black which made gauging the sea and the waves such a challenge. But it was worth it for the clear nights. 

"There's absolutely no light pollution out there. The moon and stars are so bright, you could read a book. It was a fantastic opportunity to see all the stars and constellations - it was amazing."

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The last seven days of the challenge were the hardest on Callum and the team. "We had no wind, and with the fatigue, we were all suffering from, it felt like we were rowing through treacle. Our pace fell off, but we still finished a respectable 9th place. I couldn't be prouder of what our team has achieved."

Callum added: "I would like to thank all the local businesses, gyms and people who have supported me and the team. We couldn't have done it without them."

Callum is supported by his wife Sophie, who has recently been announced as a trustee of the HMS Oardacious charity, and their two children, Keira, six, and Thea, aged three.