On Tuesday, December 15, 2020, the Breton, Guirec Soudée took the start of a solo Atlantic crossing and rowing. A journey of 5 km or 000 nautical miles from El Hierro Island in the Canaries to that of St. Barth. Did you say sacred challenge?
Two years to the day after returning from around the world via the poles, Guirec Soudée set off aboard his ocean rower from Del Hierro Island in the Canaries for a long crossing of the Atlantic with the strength of his arms. Some 5000 kms to cover to reach Saint-Barth!
The ordeal that awaits him will require unfailing endurance and a mind of steel. This does not worry Guirec, he is animated by the excitement of finding himself again in the heart of the elements, in the heart of nature, in the middle of the ocean where he feels at home. To cut himself off from civilization has become a vital need for him and we can say that he will be served.
Ready to row!
The physical effort will challenge him with daily surpassing and a mental test of every moment.
On the program: 10 hours of daily rowing to cross the Atlantic Ocean from East to West for an arrival under the sun of the Antilles, more precisely in Saint-Barthélemy. Why St Barth? It was on the sister island that in 2014, Guirec and Monique (his hen!) Disembarked from their first transatlantic, he will work there for a year in order to save enough money to refit his Yvinec boat and head for the North Pole.
It is therefore quite natural that he decides today to make Saint-Barth his island of arrival.
This crossing will be done alone and without any assistance on an 8 meter long ocean rowing one-design built in 2008. Just 1,5m2 of living space! Unsinkable, it is equipped with a desalinator and solar panels. Its average paddling speed will hardly exceed 3 knots (5,5 km / h). Guirec had to restrict himself to food to optimize the weight of his ship, which initially weighed nearly a ton.
Live with Guirec Soudée
“Already 26 days since I left the Canaries, by my calculations I should have been halfway!
After 7 days at the sea anchor, locked up most of my time in the boat, I obviously drifted a little in all directions, including about sixty kms away from my destination. To cheer myself up I told myself that it could be much worse, but I immediately retorted "yes finally, it could still be a lot better!" In short, I was constantly contradicting myself. You might be kidding, but if you stayed locked in a boat no bigger than a broom closet, in the middle of the ocean, after a while you'd have to have heated discussions with yourself.
The frustration of seeing the number of complicated paddling days that I had done against the grain the previous days did not help the debate!
The very good news is that, since Friday, I have finally been able to resume my oars! The joy that took hold of me when I stepped into my oar station is indescribable. I had the impression of finding my freedom, a real deliverance! The downwind winds are back in force and that's good, now I'm rushing down 5 to 7 meter troughs. It's impressive, especially in such a small boat, but it holds the road really well, believe me. Several times I thought I had capsized on certain waves but not at all!
At night on the other hand, the business is more dangerous, I hear the waves coming in all directions but I see nothing and cannot anticipate the stroke of the oar. I therefore opt for safety by staying inside, while ensuring the day before.
So here are friends, all's well that ends well, I'm now heading straight for the Caribbean! "
At the last check-ins, the adventurer has already covered 1189 kilometers. He still has 4088 kilometers to reach the sister island of Saint-Barth. Courage Guirec! _AF
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