Kelsey Pfendler, who is undertaking a solo rowing journey from California to Hawaii, received an unexpected birthday surprise when a U.S. Coast Guard cutter crew serenaded her with “Happy Birthday” in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Pfendler was 41 days into her 2,500-mile voyage when the cutter pulled alongside her rowing boat.
Pfendler has been documenting her expedition, which began from Monterey Harbor on May 21, on social media. The journey to O’ahu, Hawaii, was projected to take up to 90 days. The encounter with the Coast Guard crew, which Pfendler shared in a video viewed over 5 million times, involved greetings exchanged over handheld radios.
"This is so cool," Pfendler remarked in the video. "This is so special for me." A crew member expressed that the encounter was a "once-in-a-lifetime experience" for them, noting that it was "not as exciting as crossing the ocean."
The skipper of the cutter, identified as Brendan, commended Pfendler's feat, calling it an "incredible way to show how impressive the human body is."
Pfendler, who aimed to be the first American woman to complete the journey solo, also spoke about her pace. "I'm about 500 miles ahead of the men's record, so I'll be the fastest person to do this row," she stated. She estimated her arrival in Honolulu between July 3-5.
Pfendler noted that while she anticipated spending her birthday at sea, having previously marked her 30th birthday on the water during a team row, the impromptu serenade was a distinct surprise. She had previously rowed with three other women on a similar trip.