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A final 24-hour stretch. One more session navigating the pitiless slide. One more day of blistered hands holding onto unyielding oars.

But after more than 8,000 nautical miles on the water – an extraordinary 165-day expedition across the Pacific that included close encounters with whales, defective signaling devices and cocoa supply emergencies – the sea had one more challenge.

Powerful 20-knot gusts near Cairns kept pushing their tiny rowboat, their rowing boat Velocity, away from solid ground that was now frustratingly within reach.

Friends and family waited ashore as a planned midday arrival became 2pm, subsequently 4pm, then dusk. Finally, at 6.42pm, they reached the Cairns sailing club.

"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 found ourselves beyond the marked route and thought we might have to swim to shore. To at last reach our destination, after talking about it for so long, just feels incredible."

The Epic Journey Begins

The UK duo – aged 28 and 25 respectively – pushed off from Lima, Peru on May fifth (an initial attempt in April was halted by steering issues).

Over 165 days at sea, they covered approximately 50 sea miles each day, paddling together in daylight, one rowing alone at night while her partner rested a bare handful of hours in a confined sleeping area.

Perseverance and Difficulties

Nourished by 400kg of preserved provisions, a water desalinator and an onboard growing unit for micro-greens, the pair have relied on an inconsistent solar power setup for only partial electrical requirements.

Throughout the majority of their expedition through the expansive ocean, they operated without navigation tools or beacon, turning them into a "ghost ship", nearly undetectable to passing ships.

The duo faced nine-meter waves, navigated shipping lanes and endured raging storms that, at times, disabled all electrical systems.

Record-Breaking Achievement

Yet they continued paddling, stroke by relentless stroke, across blazing hot days, below stellar evening heavens.

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

And they have raised more than £86,000 (179,000 Australian dollars) for the Outward Bound Trust.

Life Aboard

The pair did their best to keep in contact with the world beyond their small boat.

During the 140s of their journey, they reported a "chocolate emergency" – diminished to merely two remaining pieces with still more than 1,600km to go – but permitted themselves the luxury of breaking one open to celebrate England's Red Roses victory in the World Cup.

Personal Reflections

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

Another ocean now falls to her accomplishments. However there were instances, she admitted, when they feared they wouldn't make it. Beginning on the sixth day, a path over the planet's biggest sea felt impossible.

"Our power was dropping, the freshwater system lines broke, yet after numerous mends, we managed a bypass and barely maintained progress with little power during the final expedition phase. Whenever issues arose, we merely made eye contact and went, 'typically it occurred!' Yet we continued forward."

"Having Jess as a partner proved invaluable. What was great was that we worked hard together, we problem-solved together, and we perpetually pursued common aims," she remarked.

Rowe originates from Hampshire. Prior to her Pacific success, she rowed the Atlantic, trekked England's coastal trail, climbed Mount Kenya and pedaled across Spanish terrain. Further adventures likely await.

"Our collaboration proved incredibly rewarding, and we're enthusiastically preparing additional journeys together as well. No other partner would have sufficed."