I was born in 1982, Pretoria, South Africa, which makes me the oldest member of the One Ocean Crew. Four years later (and 12,946km north) in 1986, Emily stepped into the world in Guildford, England. Three years later (and 393km to the east) in 1989, Jen joined the party of life in Brussels, Belgium, followed by Erin who also made her grand entrance also in 1989 (but 757km back west again), in Truro, Cornwall, England.
Our Skipper, medical and performance lead, Jen, is a Physiotherapist with GB and England Hockey, supporting elite athletes to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Lucky for us, she has experience in rowing and she has competed in endurance sports including rowing the Boston Marathon (yes rowing! It’s in Lincoln, UK and is 49.2km), Triathlons and Half Ironman competitions!
Erin, our Navigation lead (no pressure!) is a kayaking & wilderness expedition guide, with a wealth of experience in leading expeditions worldwide. She has worked in the outdoors since she was 15, and clearly loves it! She is equally at home in both the mountains, and on the sea. Which makes me believe this adventure will be a walk in the park for her.
Emily, our Logistics and Nutrition lead is a landscape architect with a passion for the environment and designing spaces that increase people’s connection with nature. She absolutely loves being on the water (no joke!), be it sailing, kayaking or windsurfing. Other than being an avid crossfitter, Emily sailed more than 20,000 miles from the UK to Australia during the 2017-18 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, where her team was placed second overall! She will be no stranger to sleep deprivation and salty food (no matter how much sugar you add!).
Then you have me, JP (purely because most english speaking people tend to call me Janet, and it really is Yanette), the Technical lead. I’m a corporate investigator, specialising in data and technology. I love being outdoors and taking on challenges. I’ve climbed several summits (aiming for 6 ½ out of The Seven), enjoy Alpine Climbing and similar to Emily, took part in the 2017-18 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, sailing (only) 13,007 miles from Uruguay to, and around, Australia. Even though our time in the race overlapped, we never actually met.
As you can see, by birth and chosen professions, the four of us had no link, but our upbringings, our life experiences, our life choices and our dreams brought us here - together - preparing to row across the Atlantic!
I remember a 30th birthday card that read: “Your 30s are when life is the perfect cocktail… ½ youth & ½ maturity, sprinkled with dashes of freedom, served on a plate of responsibility!”. Here we are. The four of us. Women in our 30s who have chosen to celebrate our blend of youthfulness and maturity, who are taking full advantage of our freedom while focussing on our responsibility to ourselves, our loved ones, each other and our planet!
Our team dynamics and foundation, that is built on trust and respect, makes it so easy to say YES, yes to swimming in ice cold waters, yes to getting up at 5am for meet-ups, yes to creative activities to raise awareness for our campaign and our chosen charity. The epic adventure of rowing across the Atlantic has already given me three inspiring girlfriends that have pushed me and challenged me to be a better version of myself, but more importantly taught me how much more I can do for our planet. We still have a lot to learn and a lot to achieve before our race starts, but we sure will get there with our perfect cocktail :)
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Afrikaans
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Ek is gebore in 1982, Pretoria, Suid-Afrika, wat my die oudste lid van die One Ocean Crew maak. Vier jaar later (en 12,946 km noord) in 1986 het Emily in die wêreld gekom, in Guildford, Engeland. Drie jaar later (en 393 km na die ooste) in 1989, het Jen die lewenspartykie aangesluit in Brussel, België, gevolg deur Erin wat ook in 1989 haar groot aankoms gemaak het (maar 757 km weer weswaarts), in Truro, Cornwall, Engeland .
Ons skipper, medies en prestasie-hoof, Jen, is 'n fisioterapeut met die GB en Engeland Hokkie span, wat elite-atlete ondersteun om voor te berei vir die Olimpiese Spele in Tokio in 2021. Gelukkig vir ons, het sy roei ondervinding en sy het al reeds in vele uithourit sport deelgeneem wat Marathon-hardloop, Triathlons en Half Ironman kompetisies insluit!
Erin, ons Navigasie-hoof (geen druk!) Is 'n gids vir kajak- en wildernisekspedisies, met 'n magdom ervaring in toonaangewende ekspedisies wêreldwyd. Sy is ewe tuis in die berge en op die see, wat my dink dat dat hierdie avontuur vir haar 'n wandeling in die park sal wees.
Emily, ons hoof van logistiek en voeding is 'n landskapargitek met 'n passie vir die omgewing en die ontwerp van ruimtes wat mense bind met die natuur. Sy hou absoluut daarvan om op die water te wees (geen grap nie!). Of dit nou vaar, kajak of windsurf is. Emily is a 'n ywerige Crossfitter is, en het meer as 20,000 myl van die Verenigde Koninkryk na Australië geseil tydens die Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2017-18! Sy is al reeds n kenner van min slaap en kos wat na sout proe (maak nie saak hoeveel suiker jy byvoeg nie!).
Dan het jy my, JP (suiwer omdat die meeste Engelssprekende mense geneig is om my Janet te noem, en dit is regtig “Yanette”), die tegniese hoof. Ek is 'n korporatiewe ondersoeker wat spesialiseer in data en tegnologie. Ek is mal daaroor om buite te wees en uitdagings aan te pak. Ek het al 'n paar ‘summits’ geklim (met die oog op 6 ½ uit die Die Sewe), geniet Alpe klim en soortgelyk aan Emily, het deelgeneem aan die Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2017-18, ek het wel (net) 13,007 myl van Uruguay na Australië geseil, en alhoewel ons tyd in die wedloop oorvleuel het, het ons nooit ontmoet nie?!.
Soos jul kan sien: deur geboorte en gekose beroepe, het ons vier geen skakel gehad nie, maar ons opvoeding, ons lewenservaringe, ons lewenskeuses en ons drome het ons hier gebring - ons gaan saam die Atlantiese Oseaan aanvat!
Ek onthou die volgende 30ste verjaardagkaartjie so goed: '30's is wanneer die lewe die perfekte skemerkelkie is ... ½ jeug en ½ volwassenheid, besprinkel met vryheidsstrepe, bedien op 'n bord van verantwoordelikheid!'. Hier is ons. Die vier van ons. Dames in ons dertigerjare wat gekies het om ons mengsel van jeugdigheid en volwassenheid te vier, wat ten volle gebruik maak van ons vryheid terwyl ons fokus op ons verantwoordelikheid teenoor onsself, ons geliefdes, mekaar en ons planeet!
Ons spandinamika en grondslag, wat gebou is op vertroue en respek, maak dit so maklik om JA te sê, ja vir swem in yskoue waters, ja om 05:00 op te staan vir ontmoetings, ja om kreatiewe aktiwiteite te bevorder vir ons veldtog en ons gekose liefdadigheid. Die epiese avontuur van roei oor die Atlantiese Oseaan het my reeds drie inspirerende vriendinne gegee wat my aangespoor en uitdaag om 'n beter weergawe van myself te wees. Maar wat belangriker is, is data hully my leer hoeveel meer ek vir ons planeet kan doen. Ons het nog baie om te leer en baie om te bereik voordat ons wedren begin, maar ons sal seker daar kom met ons perfekte skemerkelkie :).
Hi Erin and the team. I wish you every success in the adventure. I look forward to following your story.
Doug xxxx