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One last sunrise to sunset. One more day up and down merciless swells. A final stretch with aching hands gripping unforgiving oars.

Yet after traversing 8,000+ sea miles at sea – an epic five-and-a-half-month journey over the Pacific Ocean that included close encounters with whales, malfunctioning navigation equipment and chocolate shortages – the sea had one more challenge.

Powerful 20-knot gusts approaching Cairns continuously drove their compact craft, their boat Velocity, from the terra firma that was now frustratingly within reach.

Supporters anticipated on shore as a planned midday arrival shifted to 2pm, then 4pm, then early evening. At last, at eighteen forty-two, they arrived at the Cairns sailing club.

"The concluding hours proved absolutely punishing," Rowe expressed, eventually on solid ground.

"The wind was pushing us off the channel, and we truly doubted we would succeed. We ended up outside the channel and considered swimming the remaining distance. To at last reach our destination, after extensive preparation, seems absolutely amazing."

The Epic Journey Begins

The English women – aged 28 and 25 respectively – set out from Peruvian shores on 5 May (an initial attempt in April was halted by steering issues).

Across nearly half a year on water, they averaged 50 nautical miles a day, paddling together in daylight, individual night shifts while her partner rested a bare handful of hours in a confined sleeping area.

Endurance and Obstacles

Nourished by 400kg of preserved provisions, a seawater purification system and an onboard growing unit for micro-greens, the duo depended upon a less-than-reliable solar system for limited energy demands.

Throughout the majority of their expedition over the enormous Pacific, they've had no navigation equipment or location transmitters, making them essentially invisible, hardly noticeable to maritime traffic.

The duo faced nine-meter waves, crossed commercial routes and weathered furious gales that, at times, shut down every electronic device.

Groundbreaking Success

Yet they continued paddling, one stroke after another, during intensely warm periods, below stellar evening heavens.

They have set a new record as the first all-female pair to cross the southern Pacific by rowing, without breaks or external assistance.

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

Existence Onboard

The women attempted to stay connected with society beyond their small boat.

On "day 140-something", they reported a "chocolate emergency" – reduced to their final two portions with still more than 1,600km to go – but allowed themselves the indulgence of breaking one open to celebrate England's Red Roses victory in the World Cup.

Personal Insights

Payne, from a landlocked part of Yorkshire, had not been at sea before her solo Atlantic crossing in 2022 in a record time.

She now has a second ocean conquered. But there were moments, she admitted, when failure seemed possible. Beginning on the sixth day, a route across the globe's vastest waters seemed unachievable.

"Our energy was failing, the desalination tubes ruptured, however following multiple fixes, we achieved an alternative solution and barely maintained progress with minimal electricity throughout the remaining journey. Each time problems occurred, we just looked at each other and went, 'of course it has!' Yet we continued forward."

"It was really great to have Jess as a teammate. What was great was that we worked hard together, we resolved issues as a team, and we were always working towards the same goals," she stated.

Rowe hails from Hampshire. Prior to her Pacific success, she rowed the Atlantic, trekked England's coastal trail, ascended Mount Kenya and pedaled across Spanish terrain. There might still be more.

"We had such a good time together, and we're enthusiastically preparing additional journeys collectively once more. Another teammate wouldn't have worked."