'The last stretch proved absolutely grueling': UK pair complete extraordinary voyage in Australia after paddling across the vast Pacific
A final 24-hour stretch. Another day battling through merciless swells. Another round of raw palms holding onto unyielding oars.
But after more than 8,000 nautical miles on the water – an epic five-and-a-half-month journey through Pacific waters that included intimate meetings with marine giants, failing beacons and chocolate shortages – the sea had one more challenge.
Powerful 20-knot gusts off Cairns kept pushing their tiny rowboat, their boat Velocity, off course from land that was now frustratingly within reach.
Friends and family waited ashore as a planned midday arrival became 2pm, followed by 4pm, then twilight hours. Finally, at 6.42pm, they arrived at Cairns Yacht Club.
"Those final few hours were brutal," Rowe expressed, eventually on solid ground.
"Gusts were driving us from the passage, and we truly doubted we would succeed. We drifted outside the navigational path and thought we might have to swim to shore. To at last reach our destination, following years of planning, seems absolutely amazing."
The Epic Journey Begins
The UK duo – aged 28 and 25 respectively – set out from Peruvian shores on 5 May (a first try in April was halted by steering issues).
During 165 ocean days, they maintained 50 nautical miles daily, working as a team through daytime hours, individual night shifts while her partner rested a bare handful of hours in a cramped cabin.
Survival and Challenges
Kept alive with 400kg of mostly freeze-dried food, a water desalinator and a vessel-based sprout cultivation system, the women counted on a less-than-reliable solar system for only partial electrical requirements.
During most of their voyage over the enormous Pacific, they operated without navigation tools or beacon, making them essentially invisible, nearly undetectable to passing ships.
The duo faced nine-meter waves, traversed marine highways and weathered furious gales that, periodically, disabled all electrical systems.
Groundbreaking Success
Still they maintained progress, stroke by relentless stroke, across blazing hot days, beneath celestial nightscapes.
They achieved an unprecedented feat as the pioneering women's team to row across the South Pacific Ocean, continuously and independently.
And they have raised more than £86,000 (Australian $179,000) benefiting the outdoor education charity.
Life Aboard
The duo made every effort to stay connected with society outside their tiny vessel.
On "day 140-something", they announced a "sweet treat shortage" – reduced to their final two portions with another 1,600 kilometers ahead – but granted themselves the pleasure of unwrapping a portion to honor England's rugby team winning the Rugby World Cup.
Personal Reflections
Payne, hailing from inland Yorkshire, had not been at sea before her solo Atlantic crossing during 2022 establishing a record.
Another ocean now falls to her accomplishments. Yet there were periods, she conceded, when failure seemed possible. Beginning on the sixth day, a path over the planet's biggest sea appeared insurmountable.
"Our power was dropping, the freshwater system lines broke, yet after numerous mends, we managed a bypass and just limped along with minimal electricity throughout the remaining journey. Every time something went wrong, we merely made eye contact and went, 'naturally it happened!' Yet we continued forward."
"It was really great to have Jess as a teammate. The remarkable aspect was our collaborative effort, we problem-solved together, and we perpetually pursued common aims," she stated.
Rowe hails from Hampshire. Prior to her Pacific success, she rowed the Atlantic, trekked England's coastal trail, scaled the Kenyan peak and cycled across Spain. Further adventures likely await.
"We shared such wonderful experiences, and we're eagerly anticipating future expeditions as a team again. No other partner would have sufficed."
