Home Town Row
A Rotary pennant rowed across the Atlantic — and a world record along the way
A remarkable journey begins in Burnham
Local ocean rower Dawn Smith BEM, founder of Row Aurora and a Burnham resident, rowed the club’s Rotary pennant across the Atlantic with American Paul Lore on their expedition “Hometown Row.”
They set off at noon on 12 December, aboard a Burnham-built Rannoch Adventure boat — carrying our club pennant and a letter bound for the Fernandina Beach Rotary Club in Florida.
Life on the Atlantic
Dawn and Paul spent weeks at sea in a 9-metre ocean boat, rowing in three-hour shifts around the clock. They encountered powerful trade winds, large Atlantic swells, intense heat, and the physical and mental demands of living far from land.
“At night the ocean came alive with bioluminescence, dolphins visited the boat, and the star-filled sky reminded us how small humans are in the middle of the ocean.”
Dawn and Paul mid-Atlantic, rowing in shifts around the clock
Much more than a rowing challenge, Hometown Row connects communities on both sides of the Atlantic and shows the power of collaboration and shared purpose — reflecting Rotary’s values of service and community.
Supporting Two Worthy Causes
The Burnham Club is marking this achievement with donations to two charities supporting those who have served their communities:
Phoenix Heroes CIC
Based in Colchester, Phoenix Heroes provides vital support for Armed Forces Veterans and their families facing mental health challenges.
K9s For Warriors
Trains and places service dogs with veterans suffering from PTSD and trauma, helping them reclaim independence and quality of life.
Pennant arrives in Florida — in record time
Dawn and Paul arrived safely in Antigua before travelling to Florida, where they presented the club pennant and letter to Suzanne L Amos, President of the Fernandina Beach Rotary Club.
“Your flag and letter has been safely delivered. We attended a meeting yesterday and had the honour of handing them directly to the president of Fernandina Beach Rotary Club, Suzanne Amos.
Our row was record breaking. We now hold the Guinness World Record for the fastest mixed pair to row the Atlantic E–W.”
— Dawn Smith, 5 March 2026
Paul, President Suzanne Amos, and Dawn — the Fernandina Beach Rotary Club, Florida.
Paul Lore, now a resident of Fernandina Beach, served eight years in the Marines. He joined the expedition because he “wants to make a difference in a veteran’s life, because they make a difference in mine by protecting us every day.”
What comes next — the return journey
In June 2026, Dawn and Paul plan to row from Canada back to Burnham on Crouch, bringing the Fernandina pennant home. We expect to welcome her back at Burnham quayside in August 2026 — completing a full transatlantic round-trip that will have strengthened a friendship between two coastal communities on opposite sides of the ocean.