- David Bell completed a record-breaking solo row across two oceans, covering 17,500 miles in 327 days, starting from Peru and crossing both the Pacific and Indian Oceans to finally reach Kenya.
- He achieved the longest solo, non-stop and unsupported ocean row by distance, subject to formal verification.
- Bell's journey raised more than £110,000 for Rock2Recovery, a charity supporting military veterans.
- Upon reaching land, Bell expressed his excitement, stating, "I can't wait to have a beer, take the longest shower of my life and sleep in a proper bed."
- Bell, a 54-year-old veteran from Bere Regis, previously completed a solo unsupported row from New York to Newlyn in 2021, vowing never to attempt such a challenge again.
- During his journey, Bell faced numerous challenges, including repairing his rudder three times and encountering sharks and storms.
- He had to stop rowing for eight weeks while crossing the South Pacific to avoid cyclone season in the Coral Sea.
David Bell, a 54-year-old former Royal Marine, has achieved a remarkable feat by completing a solo, unsupported row of 17,500 miles across the Pacific and Indian Oceans in 327 days. He set off from Peru on November 9, 2022, and reached Kilifi, Kenya, on Friday at 12:12 PM local time.12
During his journey, Bell faced numerous challenges, including navigating through crocodile-infested waters and enduring fierce storms. He rowed for up to 16 hours a day and had to stop rowing for eight weeks to avoid cyclone season in the South Pacific. Bell described this as one of the hardest psychological challenges he faced during the trip, stating, "To sit, mid-ocean, knowing you've still got seven, eight, nine months at sea but not be rowing was one of the hardest things, psychologically, that I've ever had to deal with."8910
His journey raised over £110,000 for Rock2Recovery, a charity supporting veterans with PTSD. Bell's previous experience includes a solo row across the Atlantic in 2021. Upon his return, he expressed his eagerness for a beer and the longest shower of his life, saying, "I can’t wait to have a beer, take the longest shower of my life and sleep in a proper bed." His record-breaking journey is subject to formal verification, surpassing the previous record of 7,145 miles set in 2019.4
Bell's achievement has garnered praise from various public figures, including TV adventurer Jason Fox and former footballer Graeme Souness, who commended his incredible journey.
“Bell covered 17,500 miles in 327 days, starting from Peru and crossing both the Pacific and Indian Oceans to reach Kenya, subject to formal verification. His feat raised more than £110,000 for Rock2Recovery, a charity supporting military veterans with PTSD.”
BBC
The Mirror
