German kayakers reach Bering Sea from Hay River, N.W.T.

Four months after shoving off in their kayaksfrom Hay River, N.W.T., high school buddies Jan Kruger and Janosch Hagen have reached the Bering Sea in Alaska.

The pair travelled about 4,500 kilometres on a journey that took them acrossGreat Slave Lake, down the Mackenzie River to Tsiigehtchic, over a 160-kilometre portage through the Richardson Mountain pass and on to the Yukon River.

David Sim, arelative who's been in touch with the pair, sayshe received a call fromEmmonak, Alaska, on the weekend announcing that theyhad reached the Bering Sea.

"They have opened a bottle of Crown Royal to celebrate their achievements," he wrote in an update.

Both men learned to kayak specifically for this trip.

Before setting out in May, the pair told CBC News they hoped to get out of their comfort zone.

The pair plan to sell their kayaks in Emmonak and head to Anchorage.

Well ahead of their deadline of Sept.27, they'll use the extra time to do some sightseeing before heading back to Germany.