Westbound Rower - The Great Pacific Challenge

UPDATE 11/18/2023 -- We ended this fundraiser -- the [Donate] button is no longer active. The expedition is over at great deficit. The rowboat is back in the USA.

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Funds in excess of our stated fundraising goal of 125,000 USD was to benefit Ocean Recovery Alliance registered in California and Hong Kong.

Erden Eruç started this fundraiser to support his row across the Pacific Ocean mainland to mainland from North America to Asia. This journey began at Crescent City on June 22, 2021. It took Erden 80 days to reach Waikiki in Hawaii where he stopped for repairs and for better timing the crossing before proceeding further west. He relaunched on Oct 7th and reached Guam 128 days later on Feb 12, 2022. He was back on the water on Feb 21st then reached Legazpi in the Philippines on March 24, 2022.

The rowboat remained in Legazpi through the typhoon season. Erden returned there that Christmas, prepared his rowboat for the South China Sea then resumed his journey by bicycle from Legazpi to Currimao on the northwest coast of Luzon Island. Currimao was to be his launch site across the South China Sea to reach mainland Asia, preferably at Da Nang in Vietnam.

While waiting for a break in the strong winds against the current just offshore from Currimao, Myanmar declined his visa application as they could not guarantee his safety given their civil war. China continued to reject all visa requests on account of the pandemic. Given these roadblocks with the turn of seasons and running out of funds, Erden could not wait another year for the right season. The expedition is over as of April 2023; the rowboat is being shipped back from the Philippines.

Erden’s row from Crescent City to Legazpi was recognized as “the first row across the Pacific Ocean from North America to Asia.” He also took over career totals in overall days rowed (1167 days), in solo days rowed (1084 days) and solo distance rowed (26,705 nautical miles). As such, Erden is a leading ocean rower with 18 Guinness World Records registered to his name. He completed the first solo circumnavigation by human power between 2007 and 2012. He is also the first person to have rowed the three major oceans.

In partnership with Ocean Recovery Alliance, Erden Eruç will continue to raise awareness about plastic pollution in The Ocean. Erden’s rowboat already served as a vessel of opportunity for scientists in need of data and observations:

Erden is the founder and president of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Around-n-Over (www.around-n-over.org), the mission of which is to educate and inspire using human powered journeys. He creates teachable moments using his online blog, in person appearances and media opportunities. That mission will continue unabated.

Erden's journey started without major sponsors. Donations from the general public enable him to proceed without waiting for corporate affirmation and to meet our public support requirement as a 501(c)(3). Around-n-Over processes all contributions from this GoFundMe campaign; as such, all donations will be tax deductible.

Please join us.