Former Royal Marine Dave Bell rows across two oceans in 327 days without touching land
Former British Royal Marine Dave Bell arrived in Kilifi, Kenya on 2 October 2026 after rowing over 15,000 nautical miles from Peru across the Pacific and Indian Oceans without support.
Arrival in Kenya
On 2 October 2026, 54-year-old former British Royal Marine Dave "Dinger" Bell arrived on the beach at Kilifi, north of Mombasa, Kenya. His arrival at 10:15 BST (12:15 local time) completed 327 consecutive days at sea without setting foot on dry land. Bell stooped to touch the sand upon reaching the shore and leaned on his partner, Georgie, as he struggled to walk before accepting a beer from the crowd gathered to welcome him. Bell completed the unsupported voyage with 20 days of food remaining on board, having initially departed with 350 days worth of rations and supplies. The crossing served as a fundraising campaign for Rock2Recovery, an organisation that assists military veterans and emergency rescue workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Days at sea
- 327 days
- Packed food capacity
- 350 days
- Food surplus upon landing
- 20 days
I've not stepped off that boat since the ninth of November. This is the first time I've touched land.
Route across two oceans
Bell departed the west coast of Peru on 9 November 2025 in an 8.3-metre carbon-fibre vessel. His initial plan was to cross the Pacific Ocean to Mauritius, but he chose to continue approximately 1,000 miles further to reach mainland East Africa. His route crossed the South Pacific, navigated the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef, passed through the Torres Strait, and tracked along the northern coast of Australia before crossing the Indian Ocean. Total distance covered reached between 15,000 nautical miles (around 28,000 kilometres) and 17,500 statute miles, depending on route measurement.
- Completes solo Atlantic Ocean crossing from New York to Newlyn in Cornwall
- Departs Lima, Peru aboard an 8.3-metre carbon-fibre rowing boat
- Pauses rowing for eight weeks to avoid cyclone season in the Coral Sea
- Lands at Kilifi, Kenya after 327 days at sea
Weather delays and ocean encounters
The voyage required substantial operational pauses, most notably an eight-week halt in the South Pacific. Bell was advancing faster than projected and chose to stop rowing to avoid entering the Coral Sea during peak cyclone season. Being marooned in open ocean for two months while knowing several months of rowing remained ahead proved to be the most demanding psychological phase of the expedition. To prevent clockwatching, Bell listened to audiobooks and podcasts while exchanging audio notes with family and BBC Radio Solent. Encounters with marine wildlife also marked the crossing, including two oceanic whitetip sharks that followed the vessel for weeks and swam on either side of the boat as Bell rowed.
The last week has been so amazing. I've been the calmest I've ever been in my life.
Technology and previous crossings
The unsupported expedition relied on an 8.3-metre carbon-fibre boat equipped with solar panels, an autopilot system, and desalination gear to produce electricity and fresh drinking water. Bell, based in Bere Regis in Dorset, had previously rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 2021, travelling from New York to Newlyn in Cornwall. Although he had vowed at the time never to attempt another ocean crossing, technological improvements in hull weight, solar panels, and navigation systems led him to attempt the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In a message recorded before landing, Bell noted that adjusting to solid ground after nearly eleven months adrift would cause temporary sensory overload before he could walk independently.
