English adventurer Sarah Outen made it almost all the way to Adak under her own power, rowing from Japan to the Aleutians in 150 days in her boat "Happy Socks."
"She came within half a mile of land but the prevailing winds, swell and current were pushing her onto the rocks that circle the coves. Her support on the boat decided it was time for a tow, her safety being the main consideration as always," a note published today on her website said.
"A bottle of Pol Roger champagne toasted the reunion. Now she will be towed in 'Happy Socks' through the island passage to the harbour, a trip expected to last some 3-4 hours," said the note on Outen's blog.
The 28-year-old Outen left London on April 1, 2011, attempting to circle the world by bicycle, kayak and rowboat. It took her 150 days to travel from Japan to Adak Island.
She had intended to get to Vancouver in 2013, but bad weather slowed her progress and she has opted to stop for the winter. She plans to resume the journey in the spring.
Contact Dermot Cole at dermot(at)alaskadispatch.com. Follow him on Twitter @DermotMCole