Miriam to reattempt Pacific Ocean rowing challenge after rescue

Jess Rowe and Miriam Payne will re-attempt their row from Peru to Australia despite the setback

- By MARK PAGE

AN East Yorkshire woman who is part of a rowing duo attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean unsupported was forced back to shore after a rudder breakage - but they're now heading back out again for another try.

Miriam Payne, 25, from Market Weighton, and 28-year-old Jess Rowe, from Hampshire, set off from Peru on April 8 with an ambitious goal of reaching Australia, but their 8,000-mile journey was short-lived after the rudder on their rowing boat broke days into the voyage.

Despite making good progress, covering around 350 miles in seven days, the pair encountered issues with their rudder and were forced to deploy a parachute anchor to keep the nine-metre-long boat steady while they waited for help to arrive.

Luckily, a friend and translator in Peru, Alec Hughes, came to their rescue, towing the Velocity back to the starting point of La Punta in Lima after an eight-day journey. The duo took the setback in stride, choosing to look on the bright side.

"We definitely didn’t expect a broken rudder a week in, that was rather unexpected. But it’s part of the journey and I guess we'll look back and have a good laugh about it in the end,’ Ms Payne said.