Coxless Crew complete Pacific row after 257 days at sea

The Coxless Crew reach Cairns, Australia after 257 days at sea

More than nine months after setting off from San Francisco in northern California, the Coxless Four women’s rowing team have made land in Cairns, Australia.

The six-strong team has included three core members of Laura Penhaul, Emma Mitchell and Natalie Cohen, who were joined for different legs of the voyage by Isabel Burnham, Lizanne van Vuuren and Meg Dyos.

The journey across the Pacific Ocean has included a total of 257 days at sea, nearly 6,200 hours of rowing, 1,020+ dehydrated meals consumed, 7,700+ litres of water drunk, 12 giant tubs of sudocrem, sea creatures, passing ships, sunsets, sunrises, torrential rain, black nights, starry nights, huge swells, flat calm, sea sickness, salt sores, storms, swimming, “showering”, “bucketing”, birthdays, Christmas, New Years, and many tears, hugs and laugher.

The Coxless Four made week-long stops in Hawaii and Samoa to restock the boat, repair and replenish supplies and for the team to share their story with the local, national and international media.

They have become the first ever female crew and first 4s boat to row the Pacific from San Francisco California to Cairns Australia.

Previously, this route has only been completed by solo and pairs teams, never has it been done by a team of four and nor as a continuous three-stage row.

Their pink rowing boat Doris, built by Rossiter Rowing Boats is 29ft long and 7ft wide, made mainly of Carbon Fibre.

The charity challenge has so far raised more than £32,400 for Breast Cancer Care and Walking With The Wounded.