‘We got bored of real life’ – UK women ready for pioneering row across Pacific

Two UK women are aiming to become the first team to row the Pacific Ocean non-stop and unsupported.

Miriam Payne, 25, from East Yorkshire, and Jess Rowe, 28, from Hampshire, are planning to set off from Peru on Friday as they look to complete an 8,000km journey.

The duo hope to raise £50,000 as part of the mission for Outward Bound Trust, a UK-based charity which helps children develop lifelong skills through adventure.

Challenges will include sleep deprivation, large waves, potential injuries, capsizing, and sea traffic (Seas the Day/PA)

“I think we got bored of real life,” Ms Payne told the PA news agency.

“At this point we’re so ready to get out there and get away from this chaos and all the packing and planning – it’s been a long process.”

Ms Rowe added: “We absolutely love being at sea and the simple life as well – I think we might even get a bit more sleep out there!”

Ms Payne and Ms Rowe plan to row in alternating two-hour shifts, and predict it will take around six months to reach Australia, aiming for Sydney Harbour.

The pair met in 2022 in the Canary Islands when they were preparing for The World’s Toughest Row – previously known as the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – for which they rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.

Ms Payne broke the race record for the fastest female solo row, which was also her first sea race, while Ms Rowe participated with a team of four women called Full Throttle, winning the female race and Murden Cup.

The pair met in 2022 in the Canary Islands when they were preparing for The World’s Toughest Row (Seas the Day/PA)

“Coincidentally, we both signed up to row the Atlantic the same year, and we chatted a bit online beforehand and then met at the start line, and became really good friends through that,” said Ms Payne.

“Jess was working on yachts at the time, so I did it solo, she did it as part of a four, and she was there in Antigua for my arrival.

“I think it was the sole reason why I had a really good arrival party, because she brought all her friends and stuff like that and within a few days we were sat on the end of my hotel bed figuring out ‘what’s the next big adventure we could do?'”

Alongside working full-time office jobs, both women have spent two years preparing for the expedition, driving around the country on weekends to train in Hartlepool and Chichester.

Challenges will include sleep deprivation, large waves, potential injuries, capsizing, and sea traffic in areas such as Lima, where there will be large container ships.

“There’s lots of things that can go wrong out there, it is a very dangerous environment,” said Ms Rowe.

Meanwhile, although the trip is expected to take around six months, Ms Payne acknowledged that they do not have control over the elements.

We were sat on the end of my hotel bed figuring out 'what's the next big adventure we could do?'

Miriam Payne

“I think ultimately it’s that respect for the ocean and it is up to Mother Nature to decide,” she said.

“There’s a lot of people saying you conquer the ocean but you absolutely don’t.”

The pair will be entirely self-sufficient during the expedition and have learned to fix things on the boat including their water maker, electronics, seats and oars.

Both women completed first aid training to deal with any injuries and also have the support of a TeleMed service, a remote healthcare service which will give the crew 24-hour access to a doctor.

They aim to eat 5,000 calories a day, and they will use a desalinator, a device which removes salt and other minerals from seawater, to create fresh drinking water.

The duo have been in Peru for a month and wanted to set off earlier than their start date, but their boat was delayed in customs for two weeks.

They said they will return to their jobs at the end of the expedition, but the campaign will not end there as they plan to carry out talks at schools and to continue working with the Outward Bound Trust.

To find out more about their fundraising, visit: givestar.io/gs/AGS4ZMK.