GPS Tracking Beacon

Lore & Background

When Erden Eruç set out from Bodega Bay on 10 July 2007, his rowboat carried an Argos tracking beacon among its suite of safety and communications gear. The beacon was part of a system powered by two 12 volt gel batteries and a solar panel, ensuring continuous operation during the long ocean crossings. The Argos system allowed the boat's position to be tracked from afar, a vital capability for a solo rower who would spend years at sea. On 20 December 2007 in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a large rogue wave capsized the boat, throwing Eruç from his sleep to the ceiling and back as the vessel righted itself. The only losses from the open deck were energy gels and fluid replacement packets; the beacon and other electronics survived the incident. The beacon continued to function through the remainder of the journey, which ended on 21 July 2012 when Eruç returned to Bodega Bay, having completed the first solo human-powered circumnavigation of the Earth. Guinness World Records officially recognized the achievement, noting the journey lasted 5 years and 11 days.

In Their Own Story

The beacon pulsed silently from the deck of the Calderdale as Eruç rowed across the Pacific. On 20 December 2007, a rogue wave struck without warning, flipping the boat 120 to 150 degrees. Eruç was thrown against the cabin ceiling and then back to the floor as the ballast righted the vessel. When he checked the deck, the energy gels and fluid packets were gone, washed overboard. But the Argos beacon remained secure, its signal still transmitting. It continued to send position data through the Indian Ocean crossing, past the coast of Africa, and across the Atlantic. For 5 years 11 days 12 hours and 22 minutes, the beacon never stopped, tracking the first person to row three oceans solo.

Reader's Guide

The Argos tracking beacon was one of several electronic systems aboard Eruç's rowboat, which also included an EPIRB distress beacon, satellite phone, GPS navigator, radar transponder, radar reflector, VHF radio, and a palm-size computer. All were powered by a pair of 12 volt gel batteries charged by a solar panel. The beacon transmitted position data to satellites, allowing ground stations to monitor the boat's progress across the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. Eruç's route was 66,299 km (41,196 mi) long, crossed the equator twice and all lines of longitude, and passed over twelve pairs of antipodal points. The beacon helped verify that the journey met all requirements for a true circumnavigation. When not in use, the rowboat was housed at the Foss Waterway Seaport's Working Waterfront Maritime Museum in Tacoma, Washington.

Did You Know?

• The Argos tracking beacon was powered by two 12 volt gel batteries and a solar panel.
• The beacon survived a rogue wave that capsized the boat 120 to 150 degrees on 20 December 2007.
• The rowboat carried the beacon alongside an EPIRB distress beacon, satellite phone, and GPS navigator.
• The beacon helped track a journey of 66,299 km (41,196 mi) that crossed the equator twice.
• The rowboat is now housed at the Foss Waterway Seaport's Working Waterfront Maritime Museum in Tacoma, Washington.