Monroe Father and Son Encounter Whales During Transatlantic Rowing Race

The pair were competing in the World's Toughest Row, a 3,000-mile race across the Atlantic Ocean.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:22pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a small rowboat surrounded by the fractured, overlapping forms of towering sperm whales, conveying the disorienting and awe-inspiring experience of the rowers.A father-son rowing team's close encounter with a pod of massive whales serves as a humbling reminder of the power of nature during an extreme transatlantic endurance challenge.Monroe Today

A Monroe father and son, Greg Collins, 62, and Elliot Collins, 29, came face-to-face with a group of 30-foot sperm whales while rowing across the Atlantic Ocean during an international transatlantic rowing race. The Collins' four-person team, Get Busy Rowing, spent over 45 days at sea completing the 3,000-mile journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua, encountering the whales near the end of the race.

Why it matters

Transatlantic rowing races are considered one of the most extreme endurance challenges in the world, testing the physical and mental limits of competitors. The unexpected encounter with the massive whales served as a humbling reminder to the rowers of the power and unpredictability of the open ocean.

The details

After embarking in December 2025, the Get Busy Rowing team spent over 45 days rowing 12 hours per day to complete the 3,000-mile journey. Near the end of the race, a family of sperm whales surfaced right beside their boat, an encounter that Elliot Collins said instantly shattered the rowers' sense of control over their environment.

  • The Get Busy Rowing team embarked on the World's Toughest Row in December 2025.
  • The team spent over 45 days at sea completing the 3,000-mile journey.

The players

Greg Collins

A 62-year-old father from Monroe, Connecticut who competed in the World's Toughest Row transatlantic rowing race.

Elliot Collins

A 29-year-old son from Monroe, Connecticut who competed in the World's Toughest Row transatlantic rowing race alongside his father.

Get Busy Rowing

The four-person rowing team that Greg and Elliot Collins were a part of, competing in the World's Toughest Row transatlantic race.

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What they’re saying

“After more than a month at sea, each of us rowing 12 hours a day, you start to feel like you have some control over your environment. When a group of 30-foot sperm whales breached right beside our boat, that illusion disappeared instantly - reminding us we're just guests in their world.”

— Elliot Collins

The takeaway

The unexpected encounter with the massive whales during the grueling transatlantic rowing race served as a powerful reminder of the humbling force of nature and the limits of human control, even in the face of extreme physical endurance challenges.