Lily Lower is one of the four-strong women's ocean rowing team – the Ocean Sheroes – to have landed a new World Record this week. This morning (Thursday, 8 July), Nub News spoke to Lily, who told how thankful she is for the support of the Burnham-on-Crouch community she loves – and how she just can't wait to be back and enjoying the summer here.

And as well as the triumph, challenges and amazing teamwork involved in the mammoth row from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to Hawaii (completed in 35 days, 14 hours), Lily talks of one of the key aims of their mission – and how finding more rubbish than wildlife out on the open water has made her realise more than ever the need to ensure the seas are saved from pollution for generations to come.

TO say Lily Lower is inspirational is, of course, an understatement. When we catch up with her in it is 9am in this part of the world, but 10pm for Lily and despite the dual exhaustion and excitement of the past couple of days since smashing that World Record in the early hours (here) of Tuesday, 6 July, she sounds as full of energy as ever.

Lily, 27, took her first sailing steps with the Royal Burnham Yacht Club around the age of seven and is bubbling with thanks for the support she has had from the Burnham community, including younger brother Vincent, aged eight.

"I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us back home," she says, "because it has meant so much. The community has been amazing, both sailing and non-sailing people have rallied round us. The messages have been really important and it was wonderful to be able to speak to Vincent, who has been such a support for me."

"As a team, we've travelled so much in this challenge," she adds, "but it has brought home to me what an amazing place Burnham is and I'm really excited to be back there, enjoying the summer."

The obvious question is what did she find most challenging during that 2,400-nautical mile row?

"It was sleep deprivation," Lily says, "We were on a constant 24-hour pattern of two hours' rowing and two hours' sleep and I found that really tough.

"There were times where I just didn't want to get back up, but the other team members were amazing and they kept me going and got me through that.

"Since we finished, the others have struggled with returning to a normal sleep pattern, but I managed to sleep for 10 hours straight through. I'm definitely the sleepiest of the team," she laughs.

Lily tells how the openness of the Pacific meant that the sunsets and the moon rising were among the most spectacular sights she has ever seen and a real highlight of the journey.

"We had some huge waves, too," Lily says, "and riding down on those was certainly a thrilling experience."

The other aspect she just can't emphasise enough is the brilliant synergy she felt with the team - including Bella Collins, 28, Mary Sutherland, 41, and Purusha Gordon, 43 - and the way they worked so well together. Lily feels it has shown her many things and given her strength for her future.

"What I have learned above all else is the power of a positive mindset," Lily says, "and that in a difficult and challenging situation the thing to remember is that it is only temporary and you can get through, that it cannot continue forever and that it will get better and easier, even if only a little bit. That was what helped get me through."

Back in February as the team prepared to pack their boat 'Fenris' off to San Francisco for the start of the race in May, Lily contracted Covid-19. It made her very unwell and laid her low for two weeks -and she worried that she could fall victim to long Covid as she struggled to properly recover.

"But I was lucky and I bounced back afterwards," Lily says, adding, "but because of the pandemic we had so many more obstacles to overcome than we would normally have had, and I think it made us more adaptable – and realise that it's important to make the most of things when the sun shines."

Then there is the issue of one of the main reasons the Ocean Sheroes out on their incredible challenge. They have been raising funds for the Seabin Project, a charity which helps collect plastics and rubbish from the polluted seas. The team still hopes to meet the £60,000 fundraising target set and are hoping people will help them to do that now they've smashed their World Record goal.

"The truth is, we were expecting to see much more wildlife than we did out on the open sea," Lily confides, "and what we saw was more rubbish than wildlife. There were plastic crates and all sorts that would float past us and it's critical that we do everything we can to preserve the seas and ensure they are protected for future generations to come."

So would she do all this again and what comes next for this adventurous and spirited young woman?

"I loved it, "Lily says, "but I know I would be hard-pressed to find such a great team again and now I think I will turn to trying some other endurance sports, as I've realised I can do them.

"In fact, I've come to realise that I'm capable of so much more than I thought."

To find out more or to donate to the Seabin Project you can visit the Ocean Sheroes website here.