Rower Will Attempt Unsupported South America-Africa Trip
Dave Bell targets an October arrival in Mombasa after his 17,500-mile ocean rowing expedition.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Adventure Travel
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Dave Bell is nearing the completion of a 17,500-mile unsupported rowing voyage after departing Lima on November 9, 2025. He expects to arrive in Mombasa in early October 2026, aiming to become the first person to connect South America with Africa by rowboat.
Why it matters
The expedition serves as a major fundraising effort for the veterans charity Rock2Recovery. Bell’s mission highlights the extreme physical and logistical challenges involved in solo, unsupported long-distance oceanic navigation.
The carbon-fibre boat measures 8.3 metres and carries 750 kilograms of provisions. The 17,500-mile journey includes significant stretches like 7,500 nautical miles toward Australia and 5,000 nautical miles across the Indian Ocean.
The players
Dave Bell
He is a former Royal Marines member who served for 20 years before embarking on record-breaking rowing expeditions.
Rock2Recovery
This is a veterans charity that provides support and mental health resources to former members of the armed forces.
The details
Bell rows his boat for 12 hours daily and maintains an unsupported status by refusing physical assistance or contact with land. Adverse ocean currents currently pose a risk of drifting the vessel toward Somalia, potentially complicating the final approach to Mombasa.
Timeline
Bell completed an unsupported Atlantic crossing in 2021.
Bell departed from Lima, Peru, on November 9, 2025.
Bell rowed 2,000 miles along Australia's coastline in June 2026.
Bell departed Australia in early July 2026.
Bell expects to arrive in Mombasa in early October 2026.
Travel Outlook
This voyage follows the precedent set by Bell's 2021 unsupported Atlantic crossing. It tests the limits of solo expedition travel by attempting to connect two continents through one of the longest and most difficult rowing routes ever undertaken.
Travelers monitoring this route should note that regional maritime conditions near the Horn of Africa frequently change due to currents and seasonal weather patterns. Those planning similar long-haul nautical journeys must prioritize advanced navigation training and specialized supply logistics.
The takeaway
Solo ocean rowers must account for unpredictable environmental variables that can shift a planned arrival by hundreds of miles. Success in such high-stakes challenges requires rigid adherence to self-sufficiency protocols over thousands of miles of open water.
Further reading
For more on long-distance nautical challenges, visit our section on Adventure Travel.
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