Outdoor adventure specialist spent 50 days at sea in world-famous endurance race
AN OUTDOOR adventure lecturer has reflected on the experience of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean as part of a gruelling endurance challenge.
Denise Leonard, who teaches Outdoor Adventure Education at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, spoke about the journey as part of reflections around International Women’s Day.
The idea for the challenge first came during the Covid lockdown after she came across the World’s Toughest Row on social media.
“I have always enjoyed challenges and pushing myself into new environments,” she said. “I love the sea, and the idea of being so immersed in nature, so the Atlantic Row was a perfect fit.”
Denise and three fellow crew members spent four years preparing for the expedition. Preparation went far beyond physical training and included fundraising, securing sponsorship, media engagement, technical skills training and building emotional resilience.
“Planning such a long and remote expedition required a huge amount of preparation, from counting every last calorie in our food supplies to being able to recover the boat from a capsize or worse,” she said.
The team eventually spent 50 days at sea, rowing in shifts for more than 12 hours a day.
Life on board was physically and mentally demanding, with hot and humid cabins, limited space and very little privacy. Constant damp conditions and severe sleep deprivation quickly became some of the toughest aspects of the journey.
“It’s amazing how hard small decisions become when you’re exhausted,” Denise explained. “Physically it’s tough, but mentally that’s where it really stretches you.”
Despite the hardship, the journey also offered unforgettable moments of natural beauty.
She said the remoteness of the Atlantic created some of the most memorable experiences, including close encounters with wildlife and exceptionally clear night skies far from land.
“Being 1,500 nautical miles from land means you see wildlife up close and personal, the stars in the sky are so much clearer than you might ever see on land and the vastness of the horizon is incredible,” she said.
“Getting into 5km-deep water to clean the hull of the boat was definitely one of my favourite moments.”
Reflecting on the challenge, Denise said the biggest lesson was learning to accept the limits of control in such extreme conditions.
“Accepting that we are not in control of all aspects of our lives – and that this is OK – was important,” she said.
“No matter what we thought we knew or could achieve on the boat, Mother Nature always let us know who was in charge. Once we accepted that, life became a lot simpler.”
Denise now draws on her experiences in her teaching at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. The Outdoor Adventure Education course combines theory with practical learning through expeditions, residential trips and hands-on projects designed to build confidence and professional skills.
The team who completed the row have also been shortlisted in the Role Model category at the Women in Wales Awards. The ceremony will take place on March 19 at the Cardiff Marriott Hotel in Cardiff.
Denise said she hopes her experience encourages more women and girls to consider careers and challenges in the outdoors.
“It’s really important that women and girls see other females in these spaces,” she said.
“When we see others do challenges like this it forces us to question if that could be us. Even if it’s not rowing an ocean, I hope this encourages others to realise their own potential and not write themselves out of the story before they have even tried.
“Less than 500 women have rowed an ocean and women and girls are still hugely underrepresented in sport and adventure. I hope this goes some way to helping redress that balance.”
