AN INTREPID explorer has sailed into the history books after returning home from an epic 54-day voyage in which he rowed from California to Hawaii in record time.

At just 24 years old, fearless adventurer Louis Bird took part in this year’s Great Pacific Race in memory of his late father, Peter Bird, who in 1983 became the first person to row the Pacific.

Louis made the 2,400 mile trek with Turkish-born rowing partner and “legend of the sport” Erden Eruc after his original partner, James Jones, pulled out at the last minute with a burst appendix.

Rowing under the team name Sons of the Pacific, the pair set off from Monterey, California, on June 5 and after 54 days and 42 minutes at sea sailed into Honolulu, the Hawaiian capital, as winners in their class of boats – the Classic Pairs.

Louis, who lives in Coleshill, said: “You row 12 hours a day, so in the day time you row one hour on and one hour off and in the night time you row two hours on and two hours off, so you don’t get any more than two hours sleep at night.

“It was emotional, scary at times, but very exciting. It was a very profound experience and I’m still in a dream. I can’t quite believe it has happened.”

Louis’s reason for competing was to keep alive the memory of his father.

“It feels as if I have brought my dad back to shore,” said Louis. “I did it in honour of him, to learn about him and to feel closer to him.

“Having had my dad lost to the sea I’m still scared of it and I have a huge amount of respect for it.”

Peter Bird was named the first man to row the Pacific after leaving San Francisco on August 23 1982 and arriving in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia on June 14 1983.

He tried several times to row from Vladivostok in Russia to San Francisco, but on his last voyage in 1996 his boat got into serious trouble and he was declared lost at sea.

To take part in the race Louis had to raise a total of £25,000 and, thanks to the generous donations of friends, families and individuals who were touched by his story, he reached his target in just 45 days.

Louis said: “My family were terrified and didn’t really want me to do it. But they could see I was taking it seriously and my mum came to Hawaii to watch me come in – they are all very proud.”

Speaking of rowing partner Erden, who was the first man to row three oceans, Louis said: “That man is up there with my dad as a legend in the sport, so it was a privilege to have been given the chance to row with him.”

Louis has previous experience working as a researcher in TV and is currently thinking of moving to either Bristol or London to pursue things further.