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One last sunrise to sunset. One more day up and down the unforgiving ocean. A final stretch with aching hands clutching relentless paddles.

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 sweet treat crises – the ocean presented a final test.

Powerful 20-knot gusts approaching Cairns kept pushing their compact craft, the Velocity, away from solid ground that was now painfully near.

Friends and family waited ashore as a planned midday arrival became 2pm, subsequently 4pm, then early evening. At last, at eighteen forty-two, 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 extensive preparation, proves truly extraordinary."

The Epic Journey Begins

The British pair – Rowe is 28 and Payne 25 – set out from Peruvian shores on May fifth (an earlier April effort was halted by steering issues).

During 165 ocean days, they averaged 50 nautical miles a day, working as a team through daytime hours, one rowing alone at night while her teammate dozed minimal sleep in a confined sleeping area.

Survival and Challenges

Sustained by 400 kilograms of dehydrated meals, a seawater purification system and an onboard growing unit for micro-greens, the pair have relied on an inconsistent solar power setup for limited energy demands.

During most of their voyage through the expansive ocean, they lacked directional instruments or beacon, making them essentially invisible, almost invisible to other vessels.

The pair have borne 9-metre waves, navigated shipping lanes and weathered furious gales that, at times, disabled all electrical systems.

Record-Breaking Achievement

Still they maintained progress, stroke by relentless stroke, through scorching daylight hours, beneath celestial nightscapes.

They achieved an unprecedented feat as the initial female duo to paddle over the South Pacific, continuously and independently.

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

Life Aboard

The women attempted to keep in contact with the world away from their compact craft.

Around day one-forty, they declared a "cocoa crisis" – down to their last two bars with over 1,000 miles remaining – but allowed themselves the indulgence of breaking one open to celebrate England's Red Roses victory in the World Cup.

Personal Insights

Payne, hailing from inland Yorkshire, was unacquainted with maritime life prior to her independent Atlantic journey in 2022 achieving record pace.

She has now mastered another ocean. Yet there were periods, she admitted, when failure seemed possible. Starting within the first week, a way across the world's largest ocean appeared insurmountable.

"Our electrical systems were diminishing, the desalination tubes ruptured, but after nine repairs, we achieved an alternative solution and simply continued struggling with little power for the rest of the crossing. Whenever issues arose, we just looked at each other and went, 'naturally it happened!' 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 consistently shared identical objectives," she stated.

Rowe originates from Hampshire. Prior to her Pacific success, she rowed the Atlantic, walked the southwestern English coastline, climbed Mount Kenya and pedaled across Spanish terrain. There might still be more.

"Our collaboration proved incredibly rewarding, and we're eagerly anticipating future expeditions collectively once more. I wouldn't have done it with anybody else."