🔗 Share this article

A final 24-hour stretch. Another day battling through the pitiless slide. A final stretch with aching hands clutching relentless paddles.

But after more than 8,000 nautical miles on the water – an extraordinary 165-day expedition across the Pacific that included near brushes with cetaceans, malfunctioning navigation equipment and sweet treat crises – the sea had one more challenge.

Powerful 20-knot gusts off Cairns continuously drove their compact craft, their boat Velocity, off course from land that was now painfully near.

Friends and family waited ashore as an expected noon touchdown became 2pm, followed by 4pm, then twilight hours. Finally, at 6.42pm, they came alongside Cairns Yacht Club.

"Those last hours tested every fiber," Rowe said, finally standing on land.

"The wind was pushing us off the channel, and we genuinely believed we might fail. We found ourselves beyond the marked route and considered swimming the remaining distance. To ultimately arrive, after extensive preparation, proves truly extraordinary."

The Extraordinary Expedition Starts

The English women – Rowe is 28 and Payne 25 – set out from Peruvian shores on May fifth (an initial attempt in April was halted by steering issues).

Across nearly half a year on water, they averaged 50 nautical miles a day, rowing in tandem during the day, single rower overnight while her crewmate slept a bare handful of hours in a confined sleeping area.

Endurance and Obstacles

Nourished by 400kg of preserved provisions, a seawater purification system and an integrated greens production unit, the duo depended upon a less-than-reliable solar system for limited energy demands.

During most of their voyage through the expansive ocean, they operated without navigation tools or beacon, turning them into a "ghost ship", almost invisible to other vessels.

The women endured 30-foot swells, crossed commercial routes and endured raging storms that, at times, disabled all electrical systems.

Groundbreaking Success

Yet they continued paddling, stroke by relentless stroke, during intensely warm periods, below stellar evening heavens.

They achieved an unprecedented feat as the initial female duo to cross the southern Pacific by rowing, without breaks or external assistance.

Furthermore they gathered more than £86,000 (179,000 Australian dollars) benefiting the outdoor education charity.

Existence Onboard

The duo made every effort to stay connected with society away from their compact craft.

On "day 140-something", they reported a "chocolate emergency" – diminished to merely two remaining pieces with another 1,600 kilometers ahead – but allowed themselves the indulgence of unwrapping a portion to mark the English squad's winning the Rugby World Cup.

Personal Reflections

Payne, originating from Yorkshire's non-coastal region, had not been at sea until she rowed the Atlantic solo during 2022 establishing a record.

She now has a second ocean conquered. Yet there were periods, she admitted, when they doubted their success. Beginning on the sixth day, a way across the world's largest ocean seemed unachievable.

"Our electrical systems were diminishing, the freshwater system lines broke, but after nine repairs, we accomplished a workaround and simply continued struggling with minimal electricity throughout the remaining journey. Whenever issues arose, we merely made eye contact and went, 'typically it occurred!' Still we persevered."

"Having Jess as a partner proved invaluable. What was great was that we worked hard together, we addressed challenges collectively, and we were always working towards the same goals," she remarked.

Rowe originates from Hampshire. Prior to her Pacific success, she crossed the Atlantic by rowing, hiked England's South West Coast Path, climbed Mount Kenya and biked through Spain. There might still be more.

"Our collaboration proved incredibly rewarding, and we're enthusiastically preparing additional journeys collectively once more. Another teammate wouldn't have worked."