A former Royal Marine is weeks away from completing a gruelling solo ocean journey that will see him arrive in Kilifi, Kenya, after rowing thousands of miles across two oceans without a support boat.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Dave “Dinger” Bell, 54, left Lima, Peru, on November 9 and has since crossed the Pacific Ocean, navigated the Coral Sea and Torres Strait, rounded northern Australia, and continued into the Indian Ocean.

After more than 300 days alone at sea, Bell is now less than 900 nautical miles (1,667 kilometres) from Kilifi, where he expects to complete the journey in 12 to 17 days, depending on weather and sea conditions.

If successful, Bell will have covered about 17,500 miles (28,164 kilometres) on a solo, non-stop and unsupported expedition, putting him on course to break the Guinness World Record for the longest non-stop solo ocean row.

📌 What You Need to Know

The journey has taken Bell through some of the most challenging stretches of open water, including the Coral Sea, where he said conditions pushed him to his limits.

“The Coral Sea kicked my ass. I took a knockdown which brought water into the boat, the electrics were damaged, I was covered in salt sores and ended up on antibiotics,” Bell said.

He also described his passage through the Torres Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea as one of the most unpredictable parts of the expedition because of its changing weather and strong tides, according to Talker and Yahoo News .

Bell said finally making it through the strait and securing his boat brought one of the biggest moments of relief during his time at sea.

“The sense of relief was enormous. I knew I was secure and for the first time in a long time, I could switch my mind off and properly rest,” he said.

The former Royal Marine spent 20 years in the military, experience he credits with helping him cope with the physical and mental demands of spending months alone at sea.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke