Visitors to Marlow were greeted by the odd sight of a giant pink rowing boat bobbing on the Thames yesterday, as its crew drummed up support for an epic, record breaking ocean voyage.

Four intrepid women – the Coxless Crew – are preparing for a six-month charity row across the Pacific Ocean from California to Australia in their specially made vessel Doris.

The feat will mark the first time a woman-only fours team have navigated the 8446-mile intercontinental journey, with Marlow rower Emma Mitchell one of those chosen for the adventure.

And during their gathering in Marlow, the crew were joined by gold medal stars Naomi Riches and Katherine Grainger for some much-needed moral support.

Paralympic winner Naomi said: “I think it’s complete madness, but that good kind of madness that you have to admire.

“I’ve only rowed on the sea once, and it’s not at all what was used to. I’ve stepped on to their boat and it feels very stable but still quite confined at the same time.

“When you look around and all you can see is ocean it is quite scary but definitely exciting. It’s not just about the rowing, it’s about personalities. You can’t just pick the same sort of personalities and they have a great team here, and anything I can do to support them I’m happy to do.”

The voyage has attracted support from the likes of explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Sir Chay Blythe, the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world.

The adventure is raising money for injured servicemen charity Walking with the wounded and Breast Cancer Care.

The foursome are due to row out from San Francisco in June, and hope to reach their destination – Cairns in Queensland – after two supply stop offs along the way in Hawaii and Samoa.

Emma, 29, showed visitors around the boat this morning and even took Mayor Suzanne Brown for a ride on the Thames.

She said her training for the epic challenge hadn’t got off to the mist auspicious of starts.

She said: “We went to Cornwall for 48 hours of sea survival training. It was awesome, but I did throw up a lot.

“I do tend to get sea sick but I am reliably informed that it goes away after a couple of days.

“Probably the hardest challenge will be living with three other people on a small boat, but so far it’s going really well and we’re all looking forward to it. I’m excited but terrified at the same time."

Emma – who learned her trade as a teenager at Marlow Rowing Club - will be joined by fellow rowing enthusiasts Laura Penhall, Isabel Burnham and Natalia Cohen.

Emma’s mum Sara Bowater is a member of the support crew, and says she is looking forward to meeting her daughter in Cairns at the end of the mammoth trek.

She said: “I’m fantastically proud of her, it’s so incredibly brave what they’re doing. But I’m also terrified because she’s my little girl.

“They will have access to a satellite phone so hopefully on each leg I’ll be able to speak to her one to one.”

The crew are selling ‘miles’ for £10, with donors having their named inscribed on the ‘inspiration wall’ inside their bespoke carbon fibre boat Doris.

For more information, visit http://coxlesscrew.com/buy-a-mile/