Sonya Baumstein Ends Bid to Row the Pacific Ocean
Sonya Baumstein was just shy of one week into her journey.
— -- The American woman attempting to make history by rowing across the Pacific Ocean has ended her bid after just a week.
Sonya Baumstein, 30, was rescued on Saturday off the coast of Japan after sending out a distress signal from about 155 miles offshore, the Associated Press reported.
Baumstein, who was attempting to become the first woman to ever row the Pacific solo and non-stop, told ABC News she “woke up with a sense of foreboding” before deciding to cut short the 5,700-mile journey.
“I couldn't put my finger on it,” Baumstein said of her premonition. "I lost a key piece of equipment. I rowed that morning and took a break for the hottest hours of the day. I downloaded the weather and saw what was coming in.”
“Every system that passed through had a scale associated with it and I had to assume that it was going to be 15+ greater than that at least,” she said. "This a full blown typhoon, something I anticipated, but not given the issues I was experiencing on shore.”
The Washington state native was attempting the journey in a custom-made, 23-foot boat packed with 1,200 pound of freeze-dried food, 180 high-carbohydrate drink supplements and a supply of olive oil to keep her fueled.
When the decision to end her attempt was made Saturday, Baumstein was approaching the limits of the Japanese Coast Guard's normal range, according to the Associated Press.
“A few factors involved…your life ... the lives of responders…the situation you are in,” Baumstein told ABC News via Skype. "I called my team and we discussed all of the factors…We made the call to end it there and protect the lives of everyone involved.”
“Everyone fully supported that I was capable and I was prepared to do it, but due to unforeseen circumstances we determined that this wasn't going to be the right year,” she said. “It wasn't a decision I made out of fear, I knew my boat could handle it.”
When Baumstein set out from Choshi Marina in Japan on Sunday, she had hoped to end her record-breaking trip in San Francisco, possibly by late September.
Despite not reaching her destination, Baumstein says she still views her effort as a success.
“It's not about the miles in and that’s what people are focusing on- 200, 100, even 10 miles out is a risk,” Baumstein said. “Day eight, I woke up and I had a series of events and I had been problem solving as I went along.”
“This is an opportunity for learning and growth and I have it now and I view it as a success,” she said. “Without exploration and adventure we can't begin to discover new things and there's always a learning process and this is a part of that process.”
“I encourage everyone to continue reaching further and continue their worldly exploration.”
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