Ahoy! Rye Country Day Seniors Set An Unusual Guinness World Record

RYE, NY — It took a lot of planning, some hustle and a little bit of luck, but a trio of determined Rye Country Day seniors are now in the record books.

In August of last year, Ayush Maini, Olivia Thomas, and former classmate Eva Salzman set out on a mission to reach all 25 ferry stops located in each of New York City’s five boroughs in record time, according to Rye Country Day. After carefully planning their journey, which included more than four miles of running between stops, the teens began their journey at Rockaway in Queens and ended victoriously at St. George in Staten Island, according to the school.

Earlier this month, Guinness World Records certified their time of 7 hours, 19 minutes, and 9 seconds as the new record for the fastest time to visit all of the New York City ferry stops.

In a recent interview on the NY1 morning show, Maini said their feat was inspired by a passion for advocating for sustainable transportation.

"Just like our record-setting attempt, improving public transportation is a collective challenge. It’s not about shattering records; it’s about breaking barriers and overcoming obstacles together," Maini told viewers. "Just as every delay and detour made us stronger, every hurdle in transit development can be conquered with shared determination. This journey is a microcosm of the larger path we tread to create a more inclusive, equitable, and interconnected society."

The three adventurers told the school that they hope their record-breaking 60-mile journey will showcase the NYC ferry system as an "eco-friendly, comfortable, and affordable mode of transportation that offers the opportunity to reduce car dependency and carbon emissions, alleviate traffic congestion, combat climate change, and enhance quality of life for residents and visitors."