A Surreal Ocean Encounter
Incredible footage shows a team of rowers coming face to face with a whale in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
The four-man crew encountered the massive animal midway through their 3,000-mile journey across open water—an adventure undertaken to raise money for charity.
Surrounded by Whales
Without warning, the men found themselves surrounded by a pod of four or five whales. The animals surfaced and dove alongside the small rowing boat, staying dangerously close.
In the video, one whale breaches right next to the vessel, sending the crew into alarm. For a moment, the team feared their boat could be struck.
“The Most Surreal Moment”
The team—known as Get Busy Rowing—includes Will Towning, Greg Collins, and Chris Betts from England, along with Elliot Collins, who lives in Connecticut.
“It was the most surreal moment of my life,” Elliot said.
Another team member recalled the chaos.
“All I heard was ‘whale, whale, whale,’” he said. “I got out of the cabin just in time to see it.”
The World’s Toughest Row
The crew is competing in the World’s Toughest Row, a transatlantic, unassisted rowing race from the Canary Islands to Antigua. The race is considered one of the most physically and mentally demanding challenges in the world.
Rowing for a Cause
So far, the team has raised nearly £12,000 (about $15,000) for the Matt Hampson Foundation. The charity supports young people who have suffered life-changing sports injuries.
The foundation’s Get Busy Living center in rural Leicestershire opened in 2018. It was founded by former rugby player Matt Hampson, who was left paralyzed after a devastating injury in 2005.