How does a small boat cross the ocean without sinking when waves can be over 30 meters tall[0]? [0]: https://recon.sccf.org/parameters/wave-height
I've done open ocean crossings in canoes between the hawaiian islands, so I can answer from experience. Don't think of these waves like the ones you encounter at shore. Open ocean waves are moving mountains. It isn't this: /( It's this: .,-~^^~-,. ___.-/ \-.__
Seriously credit to you on that ASCII art. I grew up sailing and you captured it beautifully. Well done.
Kārlis Bardelis has rowed the Pacific, India and South Atlantic Oceans and cycled everything in-between. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2025/11/record-bre...
My first thought on hearing about this was, "what's that boat like? I wanna see the boat." Not to take away from Pfendler's incredible achievement. She's amazing. But, I'm the kind of nerd that immediately went to "surely that is a logistical nightmare, how are you going to carry enough supplies for months at sea in a boat that a human being can propel across the ocean at a decent speed?" It's a bigger boat than I im…
My first thought on hearing about this was, "what's that boat like? I wanna see the boat." Not to take away from Pfendler's incredible achievement. She's amazing. But, I'm the kind of nerd that immediately went to "surely that is a logistical nightmare, how are you going to carry enough supplies for months at sea in a boat that a human being can propel across the ocean at a decent speed?" It's a bigger boat than I im…
Until that video, I was thinking, "Yeah, this would be a really cool thing to do." Then I heard that awful racket of the navigation system bringing constant misery to the entire experience.
Also, it was adorable seeing her stuffed animals. Whatever it takes to stay sane over six weeks.
All i think about when people row, kayak or swim these distances in these waters is 'SHARKS'. Which i read and saw enough about that the chances of meeting one isnt that big, but my brain still associates these activities/areas with it.
Watching the videos on the race I was surprised that "Marlin strike", where Marlin fish poke holes with their bill in the hull, seems to be a problem at least now and then. There was a scene where they epoxy the hole with part of the bill still sticking into the vessel.
I wonder what was going on in her life that made her say, "I want to spend the next 43 days rowing alone across the ocean."
A few years ago I bought a SUP and there was a motto on it "life is easy: just add water". I've done enough with that SUP to learn that the motto is actually true. I can imagine some people take it to the "life is great: just add an ocean" extreme.
My first thought on hearing about this was, "what's that boat like? I wanna see the boat." Not to take away from Pfendler's incredible achievement. She's amazing. But, I'm the kind of nerd that immediately went to "surely that is a logistical nightmare, how are you going to carry enough supplies for months at sea in a boat that a human being can propel across the ocean at a decent speed?" It's a bigger boat than I im…
Until that video, I was thinking, "Yeah, this would be a really cool thing to do." Then I heard that awful racket of the navigation system bringing constant misery to the entire experience. Also, it was adorable seeing her stuffed animals. Whatever it takes to stay sane over six weeks.
I would have replaced the stuffed animals with enough insulation to stuff in that compartment to make the autopilot reasonably quiet. That's no way to live for that long. If it were a regular sound, it'd be miserable but at least you'd get used to it, but it's just randomly heaving and wheezing all the time with no rhythm at all. The worst kind of noise.
This is no joke. I've done the crossing from Moloka‘i to Oahu (~45 miles) in a canoe several times, and those open ocean waves can get very nasty (largest I've dealt with were around 15m tall). I can't imagine the mental endurance required here, let alone the physical. My longest crossing took 9 hours, and I was completely drained by the time I touched shore. 44 days is absolutely insane. Such a huge accomplishment.
Canoeing 15 meter waves!? I've bailed off of lakes at like 2 foot waves for fear of swamping (admittedly fully laden canoes, but still). Are you just using standard open canoes you'd use on a lake (potentially with some air bladders to keep from swamping?), or something special for this?
Ocean swell height doesn't matter much, the period does.
A 10ft swell on a 30 second period is nothing, a 10ft swell on a 5 second period you're going to have a bad day.
All i think about when people row, kayak or swim these distances in these waters is 'SHARKS'. Which i read and saw enough about that the chances of meeting one isnt that big, but my brain still associates these activities/areas with it.
This boat isn't your regular kayak, it is larger than a great white shark (although certainly not heavier).
I have to watch that. I can't comprehend how someone can live in a canoe for 44 days let alone bring enough supplies to survive.
its not a standard canoe you see people going down rivers on. She has a heavily modified one and its kinda large pic of it: https://imgur.com/eiESZzT 21 feet long
Oh ok wow. That makes rowing that behemoth all the way there even more impressive