Grand Canyon rafting guide becomes first American woman to row solo across Pacific Ocean

A Grand Canyon rafting guide has become the first American woman to complete a solo row across the Pacific Ocean after spending nearly 33 days alone at sea.

Kelsey Pfendler completed the approximately 2,400-mile journey from California to Hawaii on Friday, rowing into Honolulu Harbor aboard her 21-foot boat to cheers from hundreds of supporters waiting to welcome her.

Pfendler launched her trip from Monterey, California, in May with the goal of becoming the first American woman, the youngest woman, and the fastest woman to complete the crossing. Records from the Ocean Rowing Society International showed that her trip of under 44 days broke the previous women's record of 86 days and the men’s record of 52 days, according to the Associated Press.

Before taking on the grueling solo trip, Pfendler spent eight years working as a professional river guide on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. She started leading trips when she was 18. 

On social media, Pfendler documented her journey, posting videos of her days at sea alone, including her exhaustion and with blisters. She would explain to her followers how she survives in her environment at sea, detailing how she cooks food and endures through mental and physical anguish.

"I just love boats in the middle of nowhere,” she told her followers.

"If any part of this made at least one person feel a little bit more powerful in their own skin, I couldn't ask for anything else, and I'm happy," she said. “Think about trying to find your own big, hard, scary thing. You might not think that you are strong enough to finish it right now, but you’re definitely strong enough to start it, and you’ll find everything else along the way. I’m going to go finish my big, hard scary thing.”