HILARY HOSIA
Meet the incredible Liz Wardley — the woman who departed from Hanalei Bay in Hawaii on a rowboat and paddled more than 2,000 miles in the open ocean for 41 days before reaching the Marshall Islands over the weekend.
Although her final destination was Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, where she was born, Liz changed course to Majuro for safety reasons. She was spotted 25 miles south of Majuro and was towed into Majuro by a rescue boat organized by Robert Reimers Enterprises.
The decision to change course was one Liz and her army of supporters did not take lightly, according to her World’s Toughest Row website.
Despite not crossing the finish line, Liz is hailed as a hero and role model from her loyal followers on social media, who have been following her multitude of races and paddling endurance voyages throughout the years.
Had she completed her PNG route — which would have taken another 15 days or so at sea, a family member told the Journal — it would have been her longest journey in open water. The most days Liz spent ocean paddling was 44 days, when she crossed the Atlantic from the Canary Islands in Spain to Antigua and Barbuda, her website stated.
And despite being a solo rower, Liz was not exactly alone in her saga. She had two loyal sailors: Barney the Dinosaur and Javier the Crocadilo who identifies as a dinosaur. Liz proudly posed with Javier and Barney on her arrival to Majuro.
Liz named her rowboat the “Mighty Tic Tac.” The Tic Tac, however, will be sent off to a new owner in Scotland. It is worth over $60,000.
For more on Liz and her adventures, follow her on Facebook: Liz Wardley’s Rowing and Sailing Adventures.