Indian Ocean 2026 is the latest Brain Waves Challenge which involves rowing (unsupported) across the Indian Ocean from Western Australia to Kenya – an incredible challenge which is attempting to raise £500,000 and awareness for 2 incredible charities – Race Against Dementia & Rock 2 Recovery.
by human power
0
Ocean
0
Charities
0
Crew
0
Miles
The countdown is on...
2026/06/01 00:00:00
Indian Ocean : Australia to Kenya
The challenge will see Billy Taylor skipper a brand new mixed crew of four on a mainland to mainland, non-stop unassisted crossing, of the Indian Ocean, something never attempted before.
Starting from Exmouth in Australia, the crew will row around 5,500 miles to Mombasa on Kenya’s Swahili coast. This is an incredibly challenging ocean row which will see even the most experienced members of the crew pushed to their limits.
Unsupported means just that! The crew will have to deal with anything that gets thrown at them. There is no stopping for a rest, no calling for specialist help with repairs, no popping to A&E for medical attention and no ringing for a take-a-way. This is as serious as it gets when it comes to ocean rowing.
Although the crew will have access to a satellite phone to seek advice, they and they alone, will be the ones who have to deal with any problems that are thrown their way. If they do get into trouble and need help, it is entirely possible that they will have to wait for up to 5 days for the cavalry to arrive, most likely in the form of a diverted commercial vessel.
Everything that they will need will have to be loaded onto the boat before they leave and once they have departed, there is absolutely no turning back. During the Indian Ocean crossing they could easily find themselves out on the water and have to be self-reliant for over 100 days and during that time they will experience sleep deprivation, extreme fatigue, excessive weight loss, huge seas and the only place that all crew will have to shelter is a tiny cabin no larger than the size of a small double bed.
Meet the Crew
Billy Taylor
The Skipper
Billy is a 53 year old balding, slightly overweight and unfit ex-firefighter who first got into ocean rowing in 2014, when he rowed from California to Hawaii as a last minute substitute in a crew of 4 after his own campaign to row the Pacific as one half of a pair fell through due to lack of funding.
The experience of being trapped in a tiny boat with 3 sweaty men for weeks on end, left a lasting impression on him and in 2018 he rowed from Australia to Mauritius with 1 sweaty man from the previous crew and 2 new sweaty men, 1 of whom was living with Parkinson’s disease.
The last row that he took part in was a new dynamic of a crew of 3 in 2022, with one lady paramedic and one also ex male(ish) firefighter.
All in all, he has rowed over 12,000 miles across various oceans and increased the salinity of those oceans through the copious amounts of sweat that he and his crew members have consistently oozed into the murky depths.
Susannah Cass
The Scientist
Susannah is a 37-year-old environmental scientist, expedition leader and narrowboat-dwelling enthusiast who has somehow concluded that living on water is not quite aquatic enough — so she regularly abandons her perfectly functional(ish) floating home to spend weeks trapped on even smaller floating homes, with less privacy, more sweat and significantly worse plumbing.
Her ocean-rowing life began strangely similarly to Billy’s in 2014, accompanied by 3 sweaty men in the inaugural Great Pacific Race from California to Hawaii — although Billy was in a much faster crew (and has never, ever let her forget it). That adventure cemented two things: her love of the ocean, and her ability to tolerate the persistent odour of damp lycra and salt-cured teammates.
Glutton for punishment, Susannah then went on to serve as skipper of the Row2Rio2016 mixed crew, becoming one of the first two females ever to row from mainland Europe to mainland South America.
Glyn Roberts
The Veteran
Glyn is a 45-year-young former firefighter and RAF Officer who’s lived and worked all over the world. After 23 years of marriage and military adventures, civilian life in the corporate world just hasn’t scratched that lingering “let’s do something utterly ridiculous” itch. As a fully-fledged keyboard warrior, he knew a serious challenge was needed.
Brain Waves will be his first ocean row. His current ‘experience’ amounts to party ferry crossings and unsuccessful pedalo expeditions. After getting over the initial shock of living on a glorified canoe, he was convinced. When Atlantic opportunities failed, a persuasive teammate convinced him the Indian Ocean was a much better idea.
He’s no stranger to fitness, thanks to a lifetime of military workouts, cycling, and triathlons, but ocean rowing brings a whole new level of physical and mental endurance. Plus, the opportunity to wear nothing but Lycra, shorts, and layers of Sudocrem for months couldn’t be missed!
Lara Vafiadis
The Soloist
At 35, Lara Vafiadis is the only crew member who knows exactly what it’s like to spend 98 days alone with the profound, unsettling reality that you are probably the only functional source of entertainment for hundred of miles.
Her solo row across the Atlantic in 2022/23 was a punishing effort that proved she has the resilience of a small mountain goat and the sheer stubbornness of a teenager told to tidy their room. It was a deeply personal mission and a moving tribute to her beloved father.
She joined Brain Waves because the chance to row an ocean with these 3 wonderfully unhinged humans was simply too good to pass up and Lara is ready to bring her hard-won solo experience—the meticulous preparation, the mental toughness, and the profound resilience—to the team. She’s thrilled to swap her single oar for a crew and embrace the other side of ocean life: shared sweat, shared suffering, and collective triumph.
Meet the Boat
The boat is 29ft long, a little under 6ft wide and will be the crew’s life support system for the entire time that they are on the water.
The crew will be rowing in pairs and will be running on a shift pattern of 2 hours rowing followed by 2 hours resting for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means for approximately 100 days the crew will be getting no more than 90 minutes of sleep at a time.
From the second they push off until they next set foot on dry land, the boat will be everything to the crew. They will either be on deck rowing, or they will be in the tiny cabin at the back of the boat (which is about two thirds the size of a double bed) where they will rest, cook, eat, sleep, navigate,
communicate with the outside world and each other, patch up any injuries, write blogs and vlogs, carry out any equipment repairs…
…in fact the only thing that they won’t be doing in the cabin is going to the toilet. This will be an alfresco affair that bears a striking resemblance to a bucket on deck – because it is a bucket on deck! Lovely when it’s sunny and calm but imagine yourself balanced atop said bucket when there are howling winds and towering waves crashing on deck.
Meet the Charities
Monkey Fist Adventures are proudly raising money and awareness for Race Against Dementia and Rock to Recovery.
Founded by Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, after his wife Helen’s frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, Race Against Dementia funds early-career researchers to accelerate progress towards a cure for dementia.
With over 55 million people affected globally and someone diagnosed every 3 seconds, Race Against Dementia is taking immediate action to drive significant breakthroughs and develop leaders in the field.
Race Against Dementia’s vision is to win the battle against dementia by accelerating global research towards a breakthrough cure with the utmost urgency. This will be achieved by coalescing the brightest minds from medicine, motorsport and engineering to make that happen.
Rock 2 Recovery offers confidential one-to-one specialist change management coaching for members of the Armed Forces, 999 Services and their immediate family members, either face-to-face, via Zoom or by telephone, with a fully qualified change management coach. The charity covers England, Wales, Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man. This is a free service and R2R aims to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.
Following our unique experiences, R2R recognises the need for rapid preventative interventions, specific coaching and assistance. R2R’s non-clinical approach is aimed at inspiring, coaching, motivating and supporting individuals to experience real and positive change in their lives by “rethinking your thinking”. R2R encourages everyone to engage in their own recovery and find their “rock”. No two client journeys are the same.
“My Formula 1 career gave me an insight into the strength and resilience it takes to overcome great odds. Brain Waves’ row across the Indian Ocean also demonstrates the spirit of courage and endurance. I’m honoured to support such an inspiring endeavour and, I believe that together, we can accelerate the search for a cure in our Race Against Dementia.”
Sir Jackie Stewart, OBE
Founder & President of Race Against Dementia
Conducting the Research
Throughout the Brain Waves Challenge, Monkey Fist Adventures are conducting research to benefit people and our planet.
Microplastics Research with the University of Michigan
There are currently very few ways to actively sample the level of plastics that are floating in
our oceans today.
Many of these approaches depend highly on manual, labour intensive studies to confirm the presence and amount of plastics entering into our oceans.
The data we collect for Michigan University will be used to help develop a new way to detect and monitor the movement and concentration of microplastics using satellite technology.
Mental Health Research with Oxford Brookes
Mental Health issues in the UK have gone largely ignored for generations and it is only
recently that people have felt comfortable to discuss conditions such as PTSD. This is
despite the fact that an estimated 3,800,000 people in the UK are believed to be living with
the condition.
The research carried out by Oxford Brookes University will aim to provide a
better understanding of how exercise is beneficial for those suffering from anxiety and
depression. Public awareness of PTSD should, and needs to, be raised and the condition
destigmatised. We hope to use the media surrounding the row to do so.
Immersive Experience Collection with the University of Exeter
Access to the outdoors is beneficial for the body and mind. But, physical barriers to access mean that many people do not get to experience these benefits.
The University of Exeter explore the multi-faceted uses of Virtual and Immersive technology to help provide outdoor experiences to those who are not able to enjoy them first hand. By filming 360 degree videos from the Indian Ocean, we will contribute to this project – giving a “real life” experience of our time at sea to an innovative, virtual experience.
How to get involved!
Do you want to help the crew? Do you want to know how to get involved?
Main Sponsorship
Corporate Sponsors
The journey to get to the start line can be as difficult as the actual row itself and poses just as many challenges. The work that goes into the logistics and funding of the challenge is often the biggest obstacle to overcome and would simply not be possible without the help and support of sponsors.
Do you, or someone you know, own a business looking for a unique sponsorship opportunity with the benefits of advertising on an international platform? We have a range of customisable sponsor packages to suit all budgets.
Join the “250 Club”
Local & Small Businesses
We are inviting local and small businesses to become part of the “250 Club” by donating £250 to help us get to the start. You get:-
- Company logo on the outside of the boat
- Mention on our social media channels
- Company name & hyperlink on our website
All donations contribute directly towards the cost of getting the crew to the start line with all money raised above this cost, split between our charity partners.
Join the “100 Club”
Friends, Family & Individuals
To make the challenge happen we need to raise £82,000. We are inviting friends and family to become part of the “100 Club” by donating £100 to help us get to the start.
Member benefits include:-
- Your name on our boat
- Your name on our website (if you want it on there)
- We will ask all “100 Club” members to write us a letter / postcard / story / draw us a picture (whatever you want to do) which we will open on the boat and share on social media
Meet the Sponsors
The Brain Waves Challenge is supported by the following amazing sponsors
Title Sponsor
Gold Sponsor(s)
Silver Sponsor(s)
Bronze Sponsor(s)
Product Sponsor(s)
Who is in the “250 Club”?
Who is in the “100 Club”?
Sandra Pickersgill
Philip Mason
Lee Roger
Sarah Banks
Luke Cooper-Berry
Lucinda Pickersgill
Eleanor Forbes
Simon Lee
Peter Slade
Julia Yaxley
Roger Yaxley
Jim Scullion
Sam Parker
Shirley Parker
Jackie Orange
Meredith Burns
Paddy Hatton
Guy Hatton
Alistair Hearn
Chris Nelson
Virginia Erskine
Joe Erskine
Stuart Haskell
Friendship Group
Wanda’s Warriors
Matthew Pancaldi
John Clark
Jo Bradshaw
Sandie & Graham Paisley
Dave Guthrie
Carol D’anna
Ryan O’keefe
Ken Styles
Pauline Thom
Mike McCune
Kathy Nightingale
Terence Salazar
Kian O’keefe
The Gedney Family
Lynda Mitty
“Good luck from the Cooper-Berries”
Luke Cooper-Berry
“I wish Rachel, her friends and comrades all the very best in your upcoming exciting but dangerous adventure. I wish you all the very best with calm seas and fine weather. I will pray for your well being and safe arrival.”
Kenneth Styles
“A massive good luck to all the amazing members of the Brain Waves crew on your awesome challenge. Look after Alex (as you’ve pointed out, she’s only small and easily misplaced. Please don’t lose her!).?You’re all mad, but equally awesome. GOOD LUCK?”
Sandra and Philip
“Good luck to the Brain Waves team can’t wait to follow you on your amazing adventure!”
Ryan O’Keefe
“Good luck to Monkey Fist Adventures and the crew of the Brain Waves challenge from Wanda’s Warriors at Wanda’s Effective Fitness, Lanzarote. “Fridge pickers wear big knickers, those who stay strong wear a thong “ ???????? ? Find your mantra and stay strong guys. Safe journey from all of us. GOOD LUCK ?”
Wanda’s Warriors
“People like yourselves have crazy ideas/schemes to help others and then put incredible strain on yourselves physically, emotionally and mentally to achieve these ideas. Rowing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Phenomenal and inspirational human beings.”
Stuart Haskell
“Good luck and safe journey to all the crew. Hang onto your hats and don’t let go of those oars!”
Roger and Julia Yaxley
Follow the journey
The best way to stay up to date is to follow us on social media.