Ex-Royal Marine completes world record row across two oceans without setting foot on land: ‘The man-eating sharks reminded me not to fall over the side’
David Bell, a 54-year-old ex-Royal Marine, has broken a world record by rowing 17,500 miles from Peru to Kenya across the Pacific and Indian Oceans in 327 days, completing the longest solo, unsupported ocean row by distance. The achievement is particularly remarkable because Bell has a lifelong fear of water, yet undertook this extraordinary challenge to raise over £110,000 for Rock2Recovery, a charity supporting military veterans with PTSD.
Bell rowed his 24-foot boat, named Billy No Mates, for 12 hours daily whilst carrying 750 kilograms of non-perishable food. The journey tested him severely as he encountered man-eating Oceanic white tip sharks that followed him for weeks, crocodiles and severe storms, forcing him to repair his boat's rudder three times using skills he had to learn independently. This sets a new record, surpassing Jacob Adoram Hendrickson's 2019 achievement of 7,145 miles, and builds on Bell's own 2021 record as the first person to row solo and unsupported across the Atlantic via the northern route.
- Ex-Royal Marine David Bell rows 17,500 miles across two oceans in record time.
- Faced man-eating sharks and storms whilst supporting PTSD charity.
- Challenge completed despite Bell's lifelong fear of water.
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David Bell has set a world record by rowing solo across two oceans—the Pacific and Indian—without stopping on land. His 17,500-mile journey is now the longest distance ever recorded for a solo ocean row. Ocean rowing is an extreme endurance challenge requiring months at sea in a small boat, with few people attempting it.
Bell is a 54-year-old former Royal Marine who undertook this journey despite having a lifelong fear of water. He spent 327 days rowing a 24-foot boat named Billy No Mates for up to 12 hours daily, with no outside support. He had no previous ocean-rowing experience and learned essential boat repair skills during the voyage.
Bell pursued this challenge to raise money for Rock2Recovery, a charity supporting military veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress. His effort raised over £110,000 for the organisation.