21-Year-Old Woman Makes History After Rowing Solo For 97 Days To Reach South America

Imagine setting sail not with a crew, but alone - just you, the endless horizon, and a 24-foot vessel bravely cutting through restless waves. Imagine travelling like this for thousands of miles with no one else nearby to help and no one else to take up rowing when you're tired. That's exactly what 21-year-old Zara Lachlan from the UK accomplished, and made headlines for being the first female ever to row solo from mainland Europe to mainland South America. This wasn't a leisurely cruise but an endurance test against one's limits. In a solo odyssey spanning roughly 3,794 nautical miles (around 4,366 miles or 7,026 km), she crossed the Atlantic from mainland to mainland. She confronted a range of challenges during her journey of 97 days. 

Also Read: Have You Heard Of The Caribbean Island With 365 Beaches, One For Each Day In A Year?

By completing this transatlantic crossing, Zara claimed three Guinness World Records:

1. First female to row across the Atlantic from Europe to South America (mainland to mainland)
2. Youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic from Europe to South America
3. Youngest person to row any ocean solo (female).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Guinness World Records (@guinnessworldrecords)

In short, Zara is the first woman and youngest person to complete the journey, as well as the youngest woman to row an ocean solo, unsupported, and non-stop, as per Guinness World Records (GWR). She took 97 days, 10 hours, and 20 minutes to complete her journey, during which she rowed for around 17 hours daily. "I just really enjoyed the whole experience. I thought I would be a lot more scared than I was," she told GWR. She added, "I just thought it would be good fun... I wanted to learn as much as I could about something new when I had the time."

Zara faced hallucinations brought on by fatigue, shark sightings beneath her fragile craft, and the unrelenting ebb and flow of exhaustion. Yet she persisted and managed to make history. She also ran into difficulties when she "cut her leg, injured her arm, broke her finger, and smashed her phone screen," as per a BBC report. At other times, she had to deal with her boat capsizing, her equipment breaking, and nearly colliding with a large ship.

Also Read: This Luxury Cruise Offers Lifelong Retirement At Sea And Travel Across 400 Destinations

Thus, Zara's journey was impressive not only because of time and distance, but also because it allowed deep inner exploration, unlike any other activity. She had to fight against fear, complete solitude, and the untamed power of the sea. Many of us are drawn to travel's transformative power - the way it takes us away from our ordinary routines and teaches us new things about ourselves. For such travellers, Zara's voyage offers a unique kind of inspiration.