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One more day. Another day battling through the pitiless slide. A final stretch with aching hands holding onto unyielding oars.

Yet after traversing 8,000+ sea miles on the water – an extraordinary 165-day expedition over the Pacific Ocean that included near brushes with cetaceans, malfunctioning navigation equipment and chocolate shortages – the sea had one more challenge.

Strong 20-knot breezes near Cairns continuously drove their compact craft, the Velocity, away from solid ground that was now frustratingly within reach.

Friends and family waited ashore as a planned midday arrival shifted to 2pm, subsequently 4pm, then early evening. Ultimately, at 6:42 PM, they reached the Cairns marina.

"Those final few hours were brutal," Rowe said, eventually on solid ground.

"The wind was pushing us off the channel, and we genuinely believed we might fail. We ended up outside the channel and thought we might have to swim to shore. To at last reach our destination, after talking about it for so long, seems absolutely amazing."

The Monumental Voyage Commences

The English women – 28-year-old Rowe and 25-year-old Payne – set out from Peruvian shores on May fifth (an earlier April effort was halted by steering issues).

Over 165 days at sea, they maintained 50 nautical miles daily, working as a team through daytime hours, single rower overnight while her crewmate slept minimal sleep in a confined sleeping area.

Perseverance and Difficulties

Sustained by 400 kilograms of dehydrated meals, a saltwater conversion device and an integrated greens production unit, the pair have relied on an inconsistent solar power setup for limited energy demands.

Throughout the majority of their expedition across the vast Pacific, they've had no navigation equipment or beacon, turning them into a "ghost ship", almost invisible to other vessels.

The duo faced nine-meter waves, crossed commercial routes and survived violent tempests that, on occasion, shut down every electronic device.

Record-Breaking Achievement

Still they maintained progress, stroke by relentless stroke, during intensely warm periods, below stellar evening heavens.

They established a fresh milestone as the first all-female pair to paddle over the South Pacific, continuously and independently.

Additionally they collected over eighty-six thousand pounds (179,000 Australian dollars) benefiting the outdoor education charity.

Existence Onboard

The women attempted to maintain communication with civilization outside their tiny vessel.

Around day one-forty, they reported a "chocolate emergency" – down to their last two bars with another 1,600 kilometers ahead – but allowed themselves the indulgence of breaking one open to mark the English squad's winning the Rugby World Cup.

Individual Perspectives

Payne, hailing from inland Yorkshire, lacked ocean experience until she rowed the Atlantic solo in 2022 in a record time.

She now has a second ocean conquered. Yet there were periods, she admitted, when they doubted their success. Starting within the first week, a way across the world's largest ocean appeared insurmountable.

"Our power was dropping, the desalination tubes ruptured, but after nine repairs, we achieved an alternative solution and just limped along with reduced energy during the final expedition phase. Every time something went wrong, we simply exchanged glances and went, 'of course it has!' Yet we continued forward."

"Jess made an exceptional crewmate. Our mutual dedication stood out, we resolved issues as a team, and we consistently shared identical objectives," she stated.

Rowe originates from Hampshire. Before her Pacific triumph, she paddled the Atlantic, trekked England's coastal trail, climbed Mount Kenya and biked through Spain. Further adventures likely await.

"We had such a good time together, and we're enthusiastically preparing additional journeys together as well. I wouldn't have done it with anybody else."