A 67-year-old man is on track to complete his second unassisted kayaking trek across the Atlantic Ocean.
Aleksander Doba is currently approaching his destination of the Florida coast. Doba has already traveled a tumultuous 4,000 nautical miles beginning in Lisbon, Portugal.
He says the kayaking has been “about 50 percent more difficult” this time around, where he’s come across approximately 50 tropical storms, each gusting winds for about seven hours, creating 20-foot waves. On his first expedition in 2011, he made the 3,345 miles from Africa to South America in what he recalls as much lighter wind conditions.
The Polish retired engineer travels solo in a custom designed, 23-foot-long by 39-inch-wide kayak with a small cabin he spends his nights in.
“The cabin is very small and noisy with poor ventilation,” he says. “I have not slept in days.”
Difficulties he has come up against in each crossing were equipment failures, dehydration from the constant exposure to saltwater, and exhaustion from lack of sleep, in addition to stormy waters.
He averages about 30 miles per day, and estimates an arrival at his final destination some day between February 10 and 20.
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