A British man has become the first person to row solo across the Pacific Ocean from North America to Australia non-stop. John Beeden arrived in Australia after more than 200 days at sea, and said he had not realised the trip would be so difficult.
He set off from San Francisco in June and expected to take between 140 and 180 days to cover the 6,100 nautical miles to Cairns in north-eastern Australia. Bad weather slowed the 53-year-old down, however, and he eventually reached his destination in 209 days.
Beeden, who is originally from Sheffield but now lives in Canada, had already rowed across the Atlantic. According to his website, he took 53 days to cover 2,600 nautical miles, the second fastest such crossing on record.
“To be the first person to achieve something on this scale is incredible, really. I haven’t processed it yet … I thought I was going to be here mid-October and it was going to be hard work but just like the Atlantic – it wasn’t going to try to kill me. But it tried a few times,” he told reporters after landing.
“It’s been difficult the whole way but, in fairness, that was what I was looking for. I just didn’t realise it was going to be so difficult.
“I did the Atlantic three years ago and, although it was hard work, I found the actual process of doing the 53 days relatively easy, in a sense. It was just hard work. So, I went looking for something more difficult to push me to the edge.
“I have peered right over the edge a number of times.”
He told Sky News that each day on the water presented him with “some massive challenge”. He said the crossing was “10, 15, 100 times harder than I thought it would be”.
He said that the record he set was of less interest to him than the challenge of making it across the ocean.
According to the BBC, his wife Cheryl, who met him in Cairns, said: “He’s an amazing guy. He’s different than a lot of other people. He’ll always fight to get the mile when he’s having a bad day … He’ll always be rowing.
“Always knew he could do it, it just took a lot longer than we expected and just glad that he’s home and safe.
“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.”
She told reporters that her husband’s achievement was incredible, adding that she had been living with it for seven months. But she knew he could do it, she said.
After finally arriving safely, Beeden accepted the congratulations of the people of Cairns and thanked them.
“I have peered right over the edge a number of times.”
FTFH
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 6:53 pm
by TPFKA@W
He didn't realize it would be that difficult? Sounds like he doesn't have both oars in the water.
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:55 pm
by wesw
I don t mean to nitpick but....
...he really just succeeded in getting to a big ass island in the pacific, didn t he?
I mean he didn t keep going til he hit a real continent, did he?
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 5:00 pm
by rubato
A little ego-centric, no?
So he doesn't have a job that is actually valuable to other people? No skills?
Right.
yrs,
rubato
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 7:11 pm
by MajGenl.Meade
How unpleasant. Do some research. The man actually achieved something - maybe not worthwhile in your brave, risky, important world. One of his purposes was to show his children (daughters) the possibility of goal-setting and achievement; that endurance is a good quality. Having rowed the Atlantic in 53 days, he apparently thought that the longer Pacific distance would take up to 180 days and was incorrect. It was 209 days and tougher than expected.
Another chap tried the same thing some years back and had to be pulled out only 30miles from his goal. He later was lost on another attempt. This man made it. Besides, he lives in Canada and nobody there has a job that is actually valuable
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 8:45 pm
by oldr_n_wsr
WOW!!!
That's all I can say
WOW!!
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 2:17 am
by Gob
rubato wrote:A little ego-centric, no?
So he doesn't have a job that is actually valuable to other people? No skills?
Right.
yrs,
rubato
So nobody should do anything apart from work.
Aspergers boy is a sad little shithead who has achieved the square root of fuck all in his life, so he'd know.
PS.
John Beeden, a lifelong runner, is responsible each year for organising the London Marathon Exhibition and Registration.
MajGenl.Meade wrote:Besides, he lives in Canada and nobody there has a job that is actually valuable
How dare you libel the critical Canadian bacon and maple syrup industries! No breakfast for you!
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 3:20 pm
by Lord Jim
Don't forget all those hardworking folks at the Moosehead brewery...
And of course the lumberjacks...
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 3:31 pm
by wesw
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 3:39 pm
by MajGenl.Meade
Don't tell me.... it's a Monty Python video, right?
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 3:52 pm
by Lord Jim
No it's Cheech and Chong...
I considered posting the Python one...
Re: Row, row, row, your boat
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 6:16 pm
by wesw
unfortunately it is edited, in the original, on the album, the Buster , after jumping from the dirty biker to the nice clean school teacher and her muff, somehow happened to find himself right back in that biker s moustache.....
