Rowing for My Life: A Record Breaking Tale of Endurance

Kathleen Saville was barely out of college when she rowed her first ocean - earning a world record along the way. What began as a wildly ambitious plan between two newlyweds became a test of resilience, navigation and marriage itself.

In this episode, Kathleen recounts building Excalibur by hand, rowing 3,600 miles across the Atlantic, and later attempting a 10,000-mile Pacific crossing, during which her husband was swept overboard and their sextant lost to the sea. Guided only by the stars and their own resolve, they kept rowing.

But this is more than a survival story. It’s a meditation on partnership, problem-solving, ego, humility, and what it really means to live a life less ordinary. Is adventure about conquering the ocean? Or learning how to get along with it?

The Art of Adventure is brought to you by Arthur Beale, outfitters to sailors, adventurers and explorers for nearly 500 years.

You can order Kathleen’s Book, Rowing For My Life, online.

Join us next week as we unpick the legend of Shackleton with historian of polar exploration Henrietta Hammond. New episodes every Wednesday.

About The Art of Adventure Podcast from Arthur Beale

Adventure is often reduced to a highlight reel: the summit photo, the landfall, the triumphant return. But the truth is far richer—and far more human. The Art of Adventure, the new podcast from Arthur Beale, sets out to explore what really lies behind extraordinary journeys: the uncertainty, the preparation, and the moments of quiet decision that shape everything that follows.

Hosted by Hugh Taylor, the podcast brings listeners into the worlds of explorers, sailors, pioneers, and trailblazers from across history and the present day. Rather than simply retelling familiar tales, each episode examines what these journeys reveal about the deeper craft of adventure itself. What does it take to commit to the unknown? How do people navigate doubt, risk, and responsibility? And what separates success from failure when the stakes are at their highest?

New episodes every Wednesday.

Listen on our website or subscribe on your favourite podcast platform