Rowing a very long way: meet the two entrepreneurs who crossed the Atlantic for charity
Among all the noble ways to raise money for a charitable cause, Guy Rigby and David Murray chose an unconventional one – to say the least. The two businessmen rowed across the Atlantic for seven weeks, breaking the world record as the oldest couple to ever row across any ocean. Indeed Guy is 68 and David is 56 years old. After managing to raise over £540k to fund social entrepreneurs, they finally reached shore last Thursday.
In retrospect, this idea might have seemed a little crazy. On the list of potential dangers, there was suffering from dehydration and experiencing hallucinations, navigating storms and avoiding attacks from marlins – and sharks. Yet, Guy and David were ready for it, mentally and physically. Before setting off, they trained extensively to prepare for the challenge.
Guy chose this specific cause because he has advised entrepreneurs all his life as part of his job. “I know how much entrepreneurs bring to society. A business creates purpose for the individual who starts it, employs people and pays them”, he says. Social entrepreneurs, in particular, strive to bring benefits to communities in need.
Guy and David were raising money for UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs. The charity offers grants and support to hundreds of rising entrepreneurs every year. “Some of us are lucky enough to get help to start a business from family members or friends. Some aren’t and have no means to start a business. This is for them”, Guy says.
So off they went, with the prospect of almost two months on the water. Approximately 63 days sounds like a very long time to be spent on a 24-foot rowing boat. The routine on the boat included rowing for 2 hours and then taking two hours off on a permanent cycle. In the time off, Guy or David, depending on who was “on duty”, tried to sleep a bit, eat, clean the boat and do maintenance work. The schedule was intense, but it came with perks, Guy ensures: mind-blowing sunrises and sunsets, close encounters with wildlife, and peace of mind often reachable only in the middle of nowhere. “Everything has been amazing and I have really embraced the solitude and the night skies, being able to get away from everyday life and really reset. I have learned a lot about myself”, adds David.
Guy and David met because Guy was a very close friend of David’s dad. “David’s father was a fisherman, and I always admired the way he brought food to the table and did real things, while I was doing desk work in my office in London”, Guy says. His admiration for David’s father was one of the reasons that inspired him to participate in the competition. The two were never scared of all the time they would be forced to spend together in very little space. “We couldn’t do without each other”, Guy says.
With their adventure, Guy and David aimed to be “the public face of the levelling up agenda”, bringing opportunities to the people who need it most. That they managed to break a world record while doing it will just be the cherry on the cake.