Australian Woman Sets Pacific Ocean Solo Rowing Record

From time to time we’ve written about rowers who set out to cross the Pacific; mostly recently Cyril Derreumaux, who kayaked from Monterey, California, to Hilo, Hawaii. Last week we learned about Australian Michelle Lee, who has become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific — nonstop and unassisted. She rowed 14,000 kilometres (approximately 8,700 miles) aboard a 7.7 x 2m carbon fiber rowing boat, Australian Maid. During her 237-day crossing she endured five hurricanes and four cyclones.

Lee, a 50-year-old massage therapist from Sydney, Australia, set off from Ensenada, Mexico, on August 8, 2022, and arrived in Port Douglas, Queensland, on April 5, 2023. While her time on the water was unassisted, Lee did have land support from family and friends who encouraged her and were available for chats across the lonely miles. She also had a dedicated weather router who tracked her progress and advised her of favorable currents and winds whenever possible.

Celebrating her 40th birthday on day two of a 100km (approx. 62 miles) trek along New Guinea’s Kokoda Trail was a catalyst for the many physical adventures to follow. The odyssey sparked her “love for extreme adventures requiring uttermost physical fitness, mental resilience, and self-discipline.” She then set about completing numerous treks, triathlons and endurance challenges before turning her attention toward the sea.

Lee is also the first Australian woman to row an ocean, solo. She spent 68 days rowing unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean, which earned her The Australian Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year award in 2019. Now, her successful Pacific row has cemented her place in the ocean-rowing, and other, record books, including holding the world record for the fastest woman to row one million meters on a Concept 2 rowing machine — that’s around 621.5 miles. She completed the task in 5 days, 21 hours, 35 minutes. Lee has also completed the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, a 3,000-mile ocean row from La Gomera, Canary Islands, to English Harbour, Antigua.

Michelle Lee lives by her motto, “Don’t die wondering. Start thinking you can and you will.” You can learn more about her adventures here.