Most of us moan about getting up early for a workout. Now imagine rowing for 15 hours a day, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, for up to 200 days—just you, a teammate, and a 9-metre rowing boat. Sounds bonkers, right? Well, that’s exactly what Miriam Payne and Jess Rowe are doing right now.
They’ve just set off from La Punta, Lima, Peru, and if all goes to plan, they’ll land somewhere on the east coast of Australia sometime between September and November 2025. No support boats. No stops. Just a lot of oars, waves and sheer determination.
What’s the challenge?
Basically, this isn’t your average Sunday paddle. Miriam (25, from East Yorkshire) and Jess (28, from Hampshire) are attempting to become the first ever women’s team and the first pair—full stop—to row non-stop and unsupported across the entire Pacific Ocean.
That’s 8,000 miles of open water. Just the two of them. In shifts of two hours rowing, two hours resting, 24/7. That means rowing through storms, giant waves, and possibly bumping into a curious shark or whale here and there.
Real talk: what’s daily life like out there?
Let’s break it down:
- 🚣♀️ Rowing 15 hours a day (in shifts)
- 🥣 Eating about 5,000 calories daily just to keep energy up
- 😴 Sleeping in short bursts between shifts
- 💦 Dealing with salt sores, blisters, and the general misery of being wet 99% of the time
- 🌊 Navigating 30-foot waves and busy shipping lanes
Oh, and the whole thing started off with a bit of drizzle—which, apparently, is lucky at sea. Who knew?
Meet their boat – and their tech
Their rowing boat, called Velocity, isn’t just any old vessel. It’s a 9-metre Rossiter Ocean 2 beast kitted out with:
- 200+ days of food (because shops are a little scarce in the Pacific)
- BetterYou vitamin sprays and SaltStick electrolytes to stay nourished and avoid cramping
- A clever system from Nurosym that sends little electric pulses through the Vagus Nerve—science-y stuff that supposedly helps them stay calm and keep their energy balanced
- A mini hydroponic growing unit from Home Harvest so they can snack on fresh microgreens and leaves. Fancy.
They’ve also packed essential safety and communication gear, of course, just in case anything goes sideways (which, let’s be honest, is kind of inevitable at some point).
Why are they doing this?
There are a few reasons. First, they’re adrenaline junkies in the best possible way. After rowing the Atlantic separately in 2022—Jess’s team won the women’s event, and Miriam smashed the solo record—they both fancied something even bigger.
But it’s also about inspiring others, especially young women, to push beyond what they think is possible. And it’s about raising £50,000 for the Outward Bound Trust, a UK charity that helps young people build confidence and life skills through outdoor challenges.
As Miriam puts it:
“We both know that it’s going to be tough. Sleep deprived and hungry. Waves crashing over the boat with the constant worry we’ll flip over. It can be terrifying.”
But she’s also quick to point out the magic of the journey:
“The sunsets, spectacular night skies, wildlife encounters… and the feeling of overcoming the impossible. Out on that ocean, it is us against the power of nature – and that’s just how we like it!”
Not your average gym buddies
The pair met during prep for the World’s Toughest Row (formerly the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge) back in 2022. They clearly hit it off—and realised they were both wired the same way when it comes to ridiculous endurance feats.
Since then, it’s been a wild ride of training, sponsorship meetings, custom delays in Peru (including help from the British Embassy and the Peruvian Navy—seriously), and a whole load of admin to get to the starting line.
Jess sums it up best:
“It has been a tough process getting to the start line, but we are grateful to the incredible companies and people who have backed us and hopefully we can encourage a few more people to support along the way.”
Who’s backing them?
Quite a few companies have chipped in to help make this happen, including:
- Howden’s
- BetterYou
- AVA
- Branding Science
- Nurosym
- Home Harvest
- SaltStick
- Parajumpers
- SunGod
- …and many more
They’ve also been hit with thousands in unexpected costs (thanks to delays and red tape), so they’re asking for a bit more help via their Crowdfunder.
How to follow their progress
They’ve got a live tracker on their website at www.seasthedayoceanrowing.com/the-team, and they’re posting updates on:
- 📸 Instagram: @seastheday2022
- 📘 Facebook: Seas the Day
- 🎵 TikTok: @seasthedayoceanrowing
You can also donate directly to their GiveStar charity appeal for the Outward Bound Trust here: https://givestar.io/gs/AGS4ZMK
Whether they break the record or not, Miriam and Jess are already showing what it looks like to dream big, take risks, and push the limits. If nothing else, it makes our Monday morning workout excuses seem a little flimsy.
