What Did This Ohio Teacher Do During His Summer Vacation? He Rowed Across the Atlantic Ocean — and Set a World Record
This article is part of a series on that showcases the remarkable individuals, achievements, success stories, and acts of kindness in schools across the United States. For more inspiring profiles, visit The74Million.org/series/inspiring.
After spending a portion of his summer vacation rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, how does one transition back to school?
With a spirited pep rally, of course.
On Friday, the Seven Hills School in Cincinnati celebrated Bryce Carlson, an AP biology teacher, with enthusiastic cheers and high fives for his groundbreaking accomplishment. On August 4, Carlson became the first American to successfully row across the North Atlantic, reaching the shores of England’s Scilly Islands after just 38 days, 6 hours, and 49 minutes. This feat was 15 days faster than the previous record.
Years of preparation and over $100,000, including both personal funds and crowdfunding, went into Carlson’s expedition. As a teacher, he acknowledged that he did not have a substantial amount of money readily available. Undeterred, he embarked on his journey from Canada in June, using a 20-foot, state-of-the-art rowboat named Lucille, in honor of his grandmother.
Carlson, who is also an ultra-marathon runner, embarked on this transatlantic voyage to have an exciting adventure that would provide personal growth and be shared with the world. He documented his progress through live tracker positions on his website and shared numerous pictures from his nautical science laboratory on social media.
During his journey, Carlson encountered various challenges, including rough weather, capsizes, and unexpected health issues. However, he also experienced remarkable moments, such as seeing whales, dolphins, bioluminescent plankton, and a swarm of krill (the primary food source for whales) surrounding his boat for the first time. His diet mainly consisted of water, energy drinks and bars, and dehydrated rations. He maintained a rigorous schedule, rowing for 12 hours each day starting at 8 a.m. and resting for the next 12 hours. Despite being alone on his expedition without a support boat, he stayed connected with friends and followers through online platforms and a satellite phone.
However, Carlson continued rowing relentlessly. He rowed for miles upon miles, pushing through exhaustion, until eventually, after covering over 2,000 miles, he finally arrived at the port of St. Mary’s Harbor in northeastern England.
On Day 38 of his journey, Team Bryce reached Cornwall after enduring multiple international flights and countless hours of driving. Bryce was still 56 miles away from his destination but had already rowed an impressive 1,990 miles. We will keep you updated on his progress and estimate his arrival time as he gets closer to shore. He plans to arrive sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning, and we will be providing live updates on Facebook. – Alex
Bryce Carlson shared a post on Instagram, announcing his arrival in Cornwall after facing various challenges and traveling a great distance. He expressed his excitement and gratitude for the support he has received along the way.
Recently, Carlson returned to school and shared his transformative experience with his students, leaving them with valuable life lessons.
According to MLive.com, Carlson acknowledged that there were expected challenges in his journey, for which he had prepared. However, it was the unexpected obstacles that caused him the most anxiety. Nevertheless, he believes that this experience has changed him in ways he may not fully understand yet, and that it will have a positive impact on his role as a teacher.
In an interview with WKRC, Carlson further reflected on the profound impact of his journey and how it has changed him as a person. He believes that his students will benefit from his newfound perspective and growth.
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