JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — They're rowing more than 2,000 miles from California to Hawaii, and it's all for a good cause.
Right now, a team from the First Coast is competing in an international competition to raise money for charity.
For three weeks their view has been nothing but open ocean. Team Ohana is one of 14 teams competing in "The World's Toughest Row", which is a challenge to row from Monterey, California to Kauai, Hawaii.
Currently, Team Ohana is a little more than halfway through their 2,800-mile journey, but they have challenges far more than the endless rowing of oars. Through the first half of their trip they battled strong winds, rough seas and cloudy conditions - but those didn't last.
"Well ladies and gentlemen, there is proof that the sun actually exists, we didn't believe it for the last seven to eight days, but let me show you, there it is," said team member Mat Steinlin in a post on Facebook.
It's important to see the sun because that's the only way Team Ohana is able to generate electricity and make clean water. Team Ohana is rowing the boat Courageous, which is fitted with two solar panels. Those solar panels power a desalinization system, which is their only way to get clean water to drink. That water also keeps the solar panels clean, which allows them to send back updates to a team on land.
Team Ohana is raising money for K9s for Warriors and the Children's Tumor foundation. K9s for Warriors CEO Carl Cricco says that his organization is inspired by the tireless efforts of these brave rowers in the Pacific Ocean.
"It just shows how much people care about getting the word out about veteran suicide," said Cricco, "these folks are rowing thousands of miles, it's inspiring, it's a human feat, these people are pushing themselves to the absolute limit."
On they row, day and night, with a view of just the open ocean, all to raise money for veterans and sick children on the First Coast.
For more information on Team Ohana and the World's Toughest Row, click here.