Late at night, on the 20th February, 2023, experienced water enthusiasts, Ros & Andy, departed from the coast of West Africa on their incredible row across the Atlantic, dubbed the Atlantic Escapade.
The pair were putting themselves to the test in the name of fundraising for charities close to their hearts (the RNLI and Blue Marine Foundation), educational purposes (Ros is an Ocean Physics graduate), and particularly for Andy, to achieve something incredible after his World Record solo row around the British Isles.
On what must have been a nerve-wracking Monday night, the pair set off with 3,000 NM of Atlantic Ocean ahead of them. A lonely and daunting prospect.
However, the world they were temporarily suspending was not to feel too far away, thanks to the reassuring presence of some valuable satellite communication hardware that we were happy to supply.
Not only did they borrow an ever-reliable Iridium 9555 satellite phone for quick-fire voice calls, as well as a Garmin inReach Messenger that kept them in touch with their shore team, they were graced with an Iridium GO! exec Satellite WiFi Hotspot.
Ros and Andy were the first customers we lent a GO! exec too, so we were excited to see how it performed "in the wild". Capable of sending photos and video files via WhatsApp, directly from the Atlantic Ocean, we were amazed when we started seeing footage and stills from Atlantic Escapade's voyage. As customers and first-time users, they were equally impressed, with Ros stating:
"The Iridium GO! exec balanced fantastic functionality and reliable sturdiness, proving the perfect device for ocean rowers wanting to send photos and videos out from the middle of the ocean." - Rosalind Chaston
They were able to use the GO! exec to great effect. It proved remarkable longevity in terms of battery charge, with the pair able to recharge from 15% to full in 1.5hrs via a 12V charger. This was just as well given how long they were at sea for! The GO! exec also proved extremely user-friendly, a true blessing when one of them needed to use it whilst suffering from sever mental and physical exhaustion. To put it simply: it just worked.
Usage Examples
- 275KB photo file sent via WhatsApp in 1 min
- 1.0MB video file sent via WhatsApp in 9 mins
Ros and Andy did a fantastic job in completing their voyage across the Atlantic and we are delighted they chose us as their satellite communications partner.
As always, our team of experts is here to help. So, if you need any advice about the Iridium GO! exec Satellite WiFi Hotspot, contact us via:
- Email: info@gtc.co.uk
- Phone: 0800 112 3919
