Briton completes 2nd leg of cross-Pacific solo row - Arriving in Tarawa

[Stacey King]

WTVY DOTHAN, AL USA Updated: Sep 09, 2009 6:44 AM

SYDNEY (AP) - A British environmentalist attempting to become the first woman to row alone across the Pacific Ocean has completed the second leg of her journey, arriving safely in the tiny South Pacific nation of Kiribati.

Roz Savage reached the main island of Tarawa on Saturday, setting foot on dry land for the first time in more than three months. Two locals carried the laughing 41-year-old toward an applauding crowd, which adorned her with a floral lei and headpiece and gave her a drink of cold coconut water.

"There were quite a lot of challenges," Savage said. "Crossing the equator was very difficult - there were some tricky winds and currents there. There's also just the psychological challenge of spending that much time on your own on a tiny little row boat, so it's nice to be around people again. I'm very happy to have my feet back on dry land."

Savage set off from San Francisco on May 25, 2008, and rowed 2,900 miles (4,670 kilometers) over 99 days to Hawaii. On May 22 of this year, she left Hawaii and rowed 3,158 miles (5,082 kilometers) - or an estimated one million oar strokes - before reaching Kiribati, according to her Web site.

She plans to complete the more than 7,200-mile (11,600-kilometer) journey with a final row to Australia next year.

Her trip is aimed at raising awareness about climate change and plastic debris polluting the ocean. She wants people to use biodegradable trash bags and reusable grocery bags.

Her vessel is a 23-foot (7-meter) rowboat equipped with a satellite phone and a desalination machine, allowing her to convert saltwater into drinkable water.

On her Web site, Savage said the last 20 miles (32 kilometers) to Tarawa were difficult. She described the heat as "brutal" and said she had slept only six hours in a 48-hour period. With just one mile (1.6 kilometers) to go, she wondered if she'd even make it.

After her welcome ceremony, Savage wrote on her Twitter account that she had the best shower of her life and "slept like a sunburned baby."

Savage, who previously crossed the Atlantic in 103 days, survives at sea on a diet of fruit and nut bars, crackers, dried fruit and bean sprouts that she grows in a pot kept in the boat.

Upon arriving in Tarawa, she Twittered that she had lost 30 pounds (13.6 kilograms).

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On the Net:

Roz Savage: http://rozsavage.com/