After Hawaii the PacX gliders will head on to Australia and Japan to join up with Virgin Oceanic.

WSJ: A New Wave of Ocean Explorers | Marvels

The record-breaking 9, 000 nautical mile (16, 668km) trip took the PacX Wave Glider just over a year to achieve.

BBC: PacX Wave Glide

Closely following Papa Mau's arrival in Australia is the second of the Australian PacX ocean robots, named Benjamin.

ENGADGET: Liquid Robotics' Wave Glider breaks Guinness record, does it in the name of science

So when the four Wave Gliders of the PacX project reach Hawaii next month, after their November launch from California, it will be a coup for curiosity.

WSJ: A New Wave of Ocean Explorers | Marvels

The Company is providing open access to this data as part of its PacX Challenge, a global competition seeking new ocean applications and research using the PacX data set.

ENGADGET: Liquid Robotics' Wave Glider breaks Guinness record, does it in the name of science

Last month, the PacX four got caught in a storm with 26-foot waves, winds up to 115 miles an hour, and pressure as low as the eye of a hurricane.

WSJ: A New Wave of Ocean Explorers | Marvels

Today, the Company announced the five PacX Challenge finalists.

ENGADGET: Liquid Robotics' Wave Glider breaks Guinness record, does it in the name of science

An important aspect of the PacX program is the PacX Challenge, a competition designed to encourage scientists and students to make use of the PacX data in interesting, productive, or innovative ways.

ENGADGET: Liquid Robotics' Wave Glider breaks Guinness record, does it in the name of science

"Liquid Robotics is proud to announce the PacX Science Board has selected five outstanding finalists to compete for the PacX grand prize, " said Luke Beatman, Oceanographer at Liquid Robotics and chairman of the PacX Science Board.

ENGADGET: Liquid Robotics' Wave Glider breaks Guinness record, does it in the name of science