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The journey resumes
26 December 2022
As you may have followed on the blog and tracking pages on Erden's personal website, he launched from Crescent City on 22 June 2021, stopped at Waikiki between 11 Sept and 7 Oct 2021, then at Guam between 11-21 Feb 2022 then finally reached Legazpi in the Philippines on 24 March 2022. He rowed a total of 239 days to achieve this.
During that crossing, Erden stayed true to his educational goals as stated in the mission statement of Around-n-Over during this massive human powered challenge. In partnership with Ocean Recovery Alliance, Erden highlighted the plastic pollution in The Ocean while ORA produced a stream of educational content both in English and in Chinese. Erden also reached classrooms regularly by satellite phone in partnership with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants.
This crossing was honored as a Flag Expedition by the prestigious Explorers Club. For an expedition to earn the privilege to carry a flag, it has have a scientific dimension. Erden carried a special hydrophone to gather ambient sound data whenever the conditions allowed. NOAA scientist Dr. Jay Barlow was the principle researcher who needed this data as part of his efforts to survey the Pacific Ocean for Beaked Whales. By the time he reached Guam, Erden's laptop had failed and he was no longer able to download the sound data from the hydrophone to an external drive. With the limited sound data collected between California shores and Guam, Dr. Barlow was able to prepare a paper for journal publication.
With this crossing, Erden set new Guinness World Records by advancing his career totals in overall days rowed (1,168), solo days rowed (1,084) and solo distance rowed (26,700M). This crossing was also the first time ever that a person crossed the Pacific Ocean by human power from North America to Asia, Philippines being an Asian country.
Since landfall, the rowboat was left in the care of Albay Yacht Club in Legazpi. In January, Erden will prepare the rowboat for a push across the South China Sea. A serious knockdown that the rowboat suffered in December between Hawaii and Guam when a big wave broke on her port side, caused some damage. This will require some repairs... Then he has to make sure that all the electrical systems and the desalinator are still working. In January, he will also complete a bicycle ride of about 600 miles from Legazpi on the SE corner of Luzon Island to Currimao on the NW corner of the same. Currimao will be his launch point later in February when the conditions are right.
The collaboration with Ocean Recovery Alliance and Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants will continue across the South China Sea until Erden makes landfall on mainland Asia, on the shores of Vietnam.
Please stay tuned and follow Erden's journey.
Around-n-Over Team
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Route across the Pacific Ocean.
Approaching Waikiki on 11 Sept 2021.
