After nearly six months at sea, British adventurers Jess Rowe and Miriam Payne are closing in on the end of their extraordinary journey across the South Pacific Ocean. Rowing their nine-metre boat, Velocity, from Lima, Peru to Cairns, Australia, the duo has covered an estimated 8,300 nautical miles (15,300 km) in a nonstop and unsupported expedition.
The aptly named pair, Rowe and Payne, have endured some of the harshest conditions imaginable during their record-setting voyage. Battling 30-foot waves, power failures, and fierce headwinds, they have rowed in two-hour shifts day and night, surviving on freeze-dried meals and desalinated seawater. Each took turns sleeping in a small cabin while the other rowed, keeping the vessel moving round the clock.
Their vessel carried essential gear, including 400 kilograms of food, solar panels for energy, and a desalinator for freshwater. When equipment failed, they relied on ingenuity—improvising repairs with cut-up clothing and limited tools. A fault in their solar battery system left them with minimal power for long stretches, forcing them to switch off most electronics, including navigation and alert systems. This transformed Velocity into a “ghost ship,” demanding constant manual navigation across one of the most remote stretches of ocean on Earth.
Along the way, they encountered sharks, whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and vast schools of fish beneath star-filled skies. Despite the isolation and exhaustion, they described the experience as “living at sea in its rawest form,” a mix of awe and adversity that tested their endurance and spirit.
Originally bound for Brisbane, the pair changed course for Cairns after weeks of battling stubborn headwinds. Guided through the final stretch by local navigators, they are expected to arrive at Cairns Marlin Marina between noon and 2 p.m. on Saturday, where friends, family, and supporters await. Their first wish upon arrival: a long-awaited pizza and a chance to regain their “land legs.”
Their journey will mark a historic milestone as the first all-female pair to row nonstop and unsupported across the South Pacific Ocean. The achievement crowns months of perseverance, teamwork, and determination. Once ashore, Rowe and Payne plan to share their story with local schoolchildren and inspire others with tales from their time “in the wild, in a tiny boat,” proving that courage and resilience can carry human spirit across even the vastest oceans.
