Youngest woman to row from California to Hawaii gets shock visit in the middle of the ocean

A woman attempting to become the first American woman to row solo across the mid-Pacific got an emotional birthday surprise she never saw coming — an entire US Coast Guard crew serenading her with “Happy Birthday” in the middle of the ocean.

Kelsey Pfendler was on the 41 day of her journey on the open water when a Coast Guard cutter pulled alongside her tiny rowing boat during her 2,500-mile journey from California to Hawaii. Pfendler, who has been documenting the entire journey on TikTok, posted a video of the whole crew bursting out in a chorus of “Happy Birthday.”

“This is so cool,” Pfendler said after the crew wished her a happy birthday. “This is so special for me.”

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Pfendler launched her ambitious expedition from Monterey Harbor at 6 a.m. on May 21, setting out alone to row to O’ahu, Hawaii. The voyage was expected to take up to 90 days.

The chance encounter was just as memorable for the Coast Guard crew. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us, truly,” one crew member told Kelsey over the radio. “It’s not as exciting as crossing the ocean.”

Brendan, the cutter’s skipper, praised the remarkable feat. “We’re really excited to see you here,” he said. “I think it’s an incredible way to show how impressive the human body is.”

For Pfendler, spending her birthday alone at sea wasn’t unexpected. “Not this last year, but the year before my 30th birthday, I was essentially in the same spot but with three other women when we rowed as a team,” she said in the video. “I fully expected to spend my birthday on the water for this row.”

Still, she didn’t anticipate the impromptu celebration. The video, which has been viewed over 5 million times, shows the two boats exchanging greetings over handheld radios.

Beyond making history as the first woman to make the journey alone, she’s also on track to shatter another record. “I’m about 500 miles ahead of the men’s record, so I’ll be the fastest person to do this row,” she noted.

Pfendler estimates she will arrive between July 3-5 at Ala Wai Harbor in Honolulu.