Ontario-based John Beeden became the first person to complete a non-stop solo row across the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, finishing his journey from San Francisco to Cairns, Australia, in 209 days. To complete the 7,021-mile journey, Beeden, 53, had to average 15 hours of rowing a day; he set out on June 1, and was delayed by several weeks at sea due to bad weather.
Luckily, Beeden had experience in the open ocean: He rowed across the Atlantic just four years ago. His wife, Cheryl, commented to the BBC that, "I kind of think it's like childbirth because he says he's not going to get in another boat for a while — but I am sure in a couple of weeks he'll be having some other adventure, and I will have to restrain him a little bit."
Peter Bird attempted the same record in the Pacific in 1983, but had to be rescued by the Australian navy 294 days later.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Speaking to The Globe and Mail, Beeden said the trip was "10, 15, 100 times harder than I thought it would be."
“Here at last!" he wrote in a blog post after arriving. "Just got back to the hotel and going to have a shower and a rest […] It will be great to not have to get up and row for 15 hours."
-
Brooklyn vs. the Beckhams: trouble in paradiseIn the Spotlight Scion of the Beckham clan and billionaire heiress wife Nicola Peltz staged an elaborate vow renewal – and none of his family were on the guest list
-
August 21 editorial cartoonsCartoons Thursday's political cartoons include AI-driven water shortages, Sharpie-corrected slavery, and airstrikes on Washington, D.C.
-
Alien: Earth – a 'bold' prequel to the space horror classicThe Week Recommends Set two years before Alien, new Disney show pays 'homage' to the original
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster showSpeed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
