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One last sunrise to sunset. One more session navigating the pitiless slide. A final stretch with aching hands clutching relentless paddles.

Yet after traversing 8,000+ sea miles on the water – an extraordinary 165-day expedition through Pacific waters that included close encounters with whales, defective signaling devices and sweet treat crises – the sea had one more challenge.

Strong 20-knot breezes approaching Cairns kept pushing their small vessel, their rowing boat Velocity, from the terra firma that was now painfully near.

Friends and family waited ashore as an expected noon touchdown evolved into afternoon, subsequently 4pm, then dusk. Finally, at 6.42pm, they reached the Cairns marina.

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

"Gusts were driving us from the passage, and we truly doubted we would succeed. We found ourselves beyond the marked route and thought we might have to swim to shore. To finally be here, after talking about it for so long, just feels incredible."

The Monumental Voyage Commences

The British pair – Rowe is 28 and Payne 25 – set out from Peruvian shores on May fifth (an earlier April effort was derailed by a rudder failure).

Over 165 days at sea, they averaged 50 nautical miles a day, paddling together in daylight, one rowing alone at night while her partner rested just a few hours in a cramped cabin.

Survival and Challenges

Kept alive with 400kg of mostly freeze-dried food, a water desalinator and an onboard growing unit for micro-greens, the pair have relied on a less-than-reliable solar system for limited energy demands.

During most of their voyage over the enormous Pacific, they operated without navigation tools or beacon, making them essentially invisible, almost invisible to other vessels.

The pair have borne 9-metre waves, navigated shipping lanes and endured raging storms that, on occasion, disabled all electrical systems.

Groundbreaking Success

And they've kept rowing, one stroke after another, across blazing hot days, beneath celestial nightscapes.

They achieved an unprecedented feat as the pioneering women's team to cross the southern Pacific by rowing, without breaks or external assistance.

Additionally they collected more than £86,000 (Australian $179,000) for the Outward Bound Trust.

Daily Reality at Sea

The pair did their best to keep in contact with the world outside their tiny vessel.

Around day one-forty, they declared a "cocoa crisis" – diminished to merely two remaining pieces with over 1,000 miles remaining – but permitted themselves the luxury of unwrapping a portion to celebrate England's Red Roses victory in the World Cup.

Individual Perspectives

Payne, originating from Yorkshire's non-coastal region, had not been at sea until she rowed the Atlantic solo in 2022 in a record time.

She now has a second ocean conquered. But there were moments, she conceded, when failure seemed possible. As early as day six, a way across the world's largest ocean seemed unachievable.

"Our electrical systems were diminishing, the water-maker pipes burst, yet after numerous mends, we accomplished a workaround and just limped along with minimal electricity during the final expedition phase. Whenever issues arose, we merely made eye contact and went, 'of course it has!' Still we persevered."

"Having Jess as a partner proved invaluable. What was great was that we worked hard together, we problem-solved together, and we were always working towards the same goals," she said.

Rowe is from Hampshire. Prior to her Pacific success, she crossed the Atlantic by rowing, walked the southwestern English coastline, scaled the Kenyan peak and cycled across Spain. There might still be more.

"We shared such wonderful experiences, and we're eagerly anticipating future expeditions collectively once more. Another teammate wouldn't have worked."