Long distance kayaker Aleksander Doba is at it again. The 69-year old paddler who gained recognition as a Nat Geo Adventurer of the Year back in 2015 for his 7716 mile (12,417 km) crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, is getting ready to do it all over again. The Pole has announced that he will set off in May on what will be his third – and possibly toughest – Atlantic Crossing.
Doba will launch his 21-foot sea kayak on May 29, 2016. This time however he’ll be traveling from west to east, departing New York City near the Statue of Liberty with the intention of reaching Lisbon, Portugal completely under his own power. While out on the ocean, he will celebrate his 70th birthday.
Doba made his first Atlantic crossing back in 2010-2011, setting out from Senegal and paddling to Brazil. Three years later he returned to the water once again, completing his epic crossing that would become the longest open water kayaking expedition in history. On that journey he set out from Lisbon and arrived in Florida. This time out he wants to complete the trifecta by kayaking the opposite direction from North America to Europe.
According to this story from Canoe & Kayak, this year’s expedition will likely prove to be Doba’s most difficult yet. This time out he’ll be paddling through colder, more turbulent waters, where unexpected storms, high winds, and heavy waves are common. But he encountered similar conditions on his last crossing, and should be well prepared for what is to come.
We’ll be following Aleksander’s latest adventure closely and watching his progress. I want to wish him good luck on this venture. We should all be up to such adventurous endeavors at the age of 70.
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