From Mid-Atlantic Storms to Antigua’s Shores: We Catch Up with Andy Calame

CareCo Content Lead, Leah, recently sat down with Group Captain Andy Calame to hear the incredible - and occasionally damp - stories from the Per Ardua 21 team.

After 3,000 miles of rowing, battling 2.5-metre waves, and surviving on military rations, Andy shared what it really takes to cross the Atlantic.

The Reality of "The World’s Toughest Row"

When we last checked in, the crew , Air Commodore Matt Stowers, Group Captain Andy Calame, Wing Commander Mike Dewar, and Squadron Leader Mark Jacklin , were just setting off. Fifty days later, they arrived in Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua, transformed by the experience - the before and after photos show the impact of 50 days of rowing.

"Some people talk about 'conquering' the ocean," Andy told me. "But nobody conquers the Atlantic; she just lets you row her."

For the crew, the challenge wasn’t just the distance; it was the relentless rhythm of sleep vs. row shifts. While most teams opt for two hours, the Per Ardua 21 team chose three to secure longer blocks of sleep h owever, ‘ sleep ’ might be a generous term when the cabin is a sweltering 32°C , and you're in a damp sleeping bag.

Moments of Peril and "The Dog Watch"

The journey wasn’t without moments of extreme intensity . Andy recounted a terrifying night on January 20th when a 2.5-metre wall of water crashed over the boat, knocking him and Mike from their seats and submerging them for several seconds.

"The safety lines saved us," Andy recalled. "We were 90 degrees to the waves, the auto-tiller was disabled, and we were fighting just to stay upright."

Despite the danger, the team found strength in their ‘Charter ’, a code of conduct that prioritised mental health and teamwork. A key part of this was surviving the ‘Dog Watch ’, i.e. the 23:59 to 03:00 rowing shift. Mike Dewar helped Andy reframe his mindset: instead of seeing it as the end of a long day, they treated it as the start of a new one. Once the hardest shift was done, everything else felt like a breeze.

Comfort, Rations, and a Silk Tie

As a CareCo sponsored team, the crew often thought of us, usually while sitting on their painfully hard rowing seats. "We really should have spoken to the CareCo innovation team about seat comfort before we left!" Andy laughed.

The physical toll was immense:

• Blisters: A constant battle due to wet feet and saltwater exposure.
• Nutrition: They survived on UK Military Arctic Rations, supplemented by "moral boosting" Percy Pigs and Liquorice Allsorts .
• The Finish: True to his word, Andy crossed the finish line in a Gieves & Hawkes silk tie, proving that even after 3,000 miles of salt and sweat, an RAF officer maintains his standards.

Why They Did It

Beyond the adventure, the mission was about resilience and supporting The Royal British Legion, Macmillan Cancer Support, and The Centurion Fund. They wanted to prove that age (average 56!) is no barrier to ambition.

"The Atlantic reshaped our sense of limits," Andy reflected. "They aren't boundaries; they are invitations."

What’s Next?

The team is now recovering and adjusting to life on land, where the beds don’t move … and the fish don’t hit you in the face at 3:00am.