Well... she'll be following dutchman Ralph Tuijn, who is halfway his solo-rowing-trip across the (widest part of the) pacific. (http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com)
@Gert: reading 'A Short History Of Nearly Everything' is indeed something I would recommend to everyone. Especially the part abouw Newton and his colleagues. In fact, my comment about the stick behind the eye... comes from that book (and offtopic: how's life at the other side of the world?).