CT Father, Son Encounter Whales During 3,000-Mile Atlantic Ocean Race

A Monroe father and son came face-to-face with a group of 30-foot sperm whales while rowing across the Atlantic Ocean during an international race.

Greg Collins, 62, and his son Elliot, 29, competed in the World's Toughest Row last year, a 3,000-mile race from San Sebastián de La Gomera in the Spanish Canary Islands to Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua.

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After embarking in December 2025, the Collins' four-person team, Get Busy Rowing, spent more than 45 days at sea completing the journey. Near the end of the race, a family of sperm whales surfaced near their boat.

"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," Elliot Collins said. "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."

After over 1.5 million oar strokes to their destination, the team came in 30th place out of 43 boats.

The team also raised money for The Matt Hampson Foundation, a charity that supports young people with serious sporting injuries.

Members of the Get Busy Rowing team, including a Monroe father and son, during a transatlantic rowing race across the Atlantic Ocean. (Elliot Collins)