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A final 24-hour stretch. One more session navigating merciless swells. One more day of blistered hands holding onto unyielding oars.

But after more than 8,000 nautical miles across the ocean – an epic five-and-a-half-month journey across the Pacific that included near brushes with cetaceans, defective signaling devices and cocoa supply emergencies – the sea had one more challenge.

Powerful 20-knot gusts near Cairns repeatedly forced their tiny rowboat, their boat Velocity, away from solid ground that was now achingly close.

Friends and family waited ashore as a scheduled lunchtime finish shifted to 2pm, followed by 4pm, then early evening. Finally, at 6.42pm, they came alongside the Cairns marina.

"The concluding hours proved absolutely punishing," Rowe expressed, at last on firm earth.

"Breezes were forcing us off course, and we truly doubted we would succeed. We drifted outside the navigational path and contemplated a final swim to land. To finally be here, following years of planning, seems absolutely amazing."

The Monumental Voyage Commences

The UK duo – 28-year-old Rowe and 25-year-old Payne – pushed off from Lima, Peru in early May (an earlier April effort was derailed by a rudder failure).

Over 165 days at sea, they maintained 50 nautical miles daily, rowing in tandem during the day, individual night shifts while her teammate dozed a bare handful of hours in a tight compartment.

Perseverance and Difficulties

Sustained by 400 kilograms of dehydrated meals, a seawater purification system and a vessel-based sprout cultivation system, the duo depended upon a less-than-reliable solar system for a fraction of the power they've needed.

During most of their voyage through the expansive ocean, they operated without navigation tools or location transmitters, making them essentially invisible, hardly noticeable to maritime traffic.

The duo faced nine-meter waves, traversed marine highways and weathered furious gales that, at times, shut down every electronic device.

Historic Accomplishment

Yet they continued paddling, stroke by relentless stroke, during intensely warm periods, beneath celestial nightscapes.

They have set a new record as the initial female duo to row across the South Pacific Ocean, continuously and independently.

And they have raised in excess of £86k (179,000 Australian dollars) benefiting the outdoor education charity.

Daily Reality at Sea

The women attempted to stay connected with society away from their compact craft.

Around day one-forty, they declared a "cocoa crisis" – diminished to merely two remaining pieces with still more than 1,600km to go – but allowed themselves the indulgence of opening one bar to celebrate England's Red Roses triumph in global rugby competition.

Personal Reflections

Payne, hailing from inland Yorkshire, lacked ocean experience before her solo Atlantic crossing during 2022 establishing a record.

She now has a second ocean conquered. But there were moments, she conceded, when failure seemed possible. Beginning on the sixth day, a way across the world's largest ocean felt impossible.

"Our energy was failing, the desalination tubes ruptured, however following multiple fixes, we managed a bypass and simply continued struggling with reduced energy throughout the remaining journey. Every time something went wrong, we simply exchanged glances and went, 'typically it occurred!' Still we persevered."

"It was really great to have Jess as a teammate. What was great was that we worked hard together, we problem-solved together, and we perpetually pursued common aims," she said.

Rowe hails from Hampshire. Before her Pacific triumph, she crossed the Atlantic by rowing, walked the southwestern English coastline, scaled the Kenyan peak and biked through Spain. Additional challenges probably remain.

"We shared such wonderful experiences, and we're enthusiastically preparing additional journeys together as well. No other partner would have sufficed."