"Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death". - Betty Bender

This is insane, but I feel really, really inspired. Ever since following Mick Bird's around the world rowing expedition, I have felt that this was something that I needed to do someday. 3000 solo miles across the Atlantic ocean by pedal boat should take from 45 to 100 days. It will be by far, the most difficult challenge I have ever considered.

And I say "considered" because I do not want to imply that after I complete my due diligence, I will feel like I have made an irreversible commitment to crossing an ocean if I feel that it would be unsafe. I have a family that kind of wants me to stick around for a while, and frankly, I wouldn't mind hanging around myself for a while longer. In other words, I'm not about to go and do something foolish and overly risky.

According to The Ocean Rowing Society, a total of 275 attempts to cross an ocean by rowing resulted in 6 deaths due to lost at sea and 99 failed attempts.

For comparison purposes, I converted the ocean rowing fatality data to fatalities per million hours of exposure and was able to find a list of other activities and the risks of death from Failure Analysis Associates, Inc. more details on that analysis here.

Fatalities per Million Exposure Hours:

Ocean rowing is slightly more dangerous than motorcycling and safer than general flying or skydiving.

Only 2 other expeditions in history have pedaled across the Atlantic ocean with a human powered boat. Stevie Smith and Jason Lewis with expedition360 on their circumnavigation of the earth expedition, and Dwight Collins who solo pedaled his human powered boat West to East across the northern Atlantic.

If I were to succeed, it would be the first solo East-West Atlantic ocean pedal boat crossing. The fastest human powered East-West Atlantic ocean crossing is 42 days, 17 hours by Emmanuel Coindre from France who rowed from Spain to Barbados . If we consider 'pure' human powered crossings, we would have to include rowing because it is purely human powered. So, I would have to beat 42 days, 17 hours to set a new 'human powered' trans Atlantic record.

Route - Canary Islands to Barbados

The route that I am considering would take me from the Canary Islands to Barbados or some other island in the same chain. This is the most popular trans Atlantic route, as there is a steady west blowing tradewind and the water is fairly warm. 167 people have rowed from the Canary islands (doubles) - many participating in an annual race by Woodvale Events.

More detailed information on this route including currents is here.

Concept 1 human powered ocean boat

Concept 1 is a very narrow, self-righting single passenger human powered ocean boat. The hull is based on a K1 kayak hull with slightly higher side walls, and a rounded top with a retractable canopy top. To accomplish stability in rough sea conditions, weight is distributed very low in the vessel with additional ballast in a keel suspended below the prop.

Concept 1 is designed to be aerodynamic to reduce the effect of headwinds pushing it backwards, and narrow to reduce it's drag through the water. At 24 feet long and 24" wide, 150 watts of power (touring bike effort) is expected to produce about 9 kph of speed. Supplies are kept in the front compartment and there is a sleeping compartment in the stern.

At an expected speed of 9 kph, if I were to maintain an average of 150 watts of power for 14 hours per day, I would be able to theoretically cover the 3000 miles in 38 days which would be a new crossing record. However, I know adverse weather conditions and other unknowns would definitely interfere with an ambitious plan like that, so I am going to take enough provisions for 75 days at sea.

More detailed information on Concept 1 HPB is here

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. -- Douglas Adams

Here is a list of the books I have read on ocean crossing adventures and links to ocean rowers ocean cyclists and ocean adventurers:

Ocean crossing books:

Bold Man of the Sea - Jim Shekhdar

Across the Savage Sea - Maud Fontenoy

Pedalling to Hawaii - Stevie Smith

Kayak Across the Atlantic - Peter Bray

A Spec on the Sea - William Longyard

500 Days - Serge Testa

66 days adrift - William Butler

Race Against Time - Ellen MacArthur

Adrift - Steven Callahan

A Voyage For Madmen - Peter Nichols

Facing the Frozen Ocean - Bear Grylls

Sea of Dreams - Adam Meyers

Godforsaken Sea - Derek Lundy

Ocean rower web sites:

Mick Bird - rowed half way around the world

Expedition 360 - Jason Lewis and Stevie Smith pedaled almost all the way around the world by human power

Expedition Canada - Colin & Julie Angus succeed at histories FIRST around the world by human power challenge

Columbus Run - Leven Browns trans Atlantic rowing expedition

Roz Savage - trans Atlantic rowing expedition & Pacific ocean in 2007

Row Extreme - Richard Wood's trans Atlantic rowing expedition

Around-n-over - Erden Eruc's trans Atlantic rowing expedition

Fedor Konyukhov - trans Atlantic rowing expedition

Virgin Row - Oliver Hick's trans Atlantic rowing expedition

Climb Your Everest - Canadians Glenn Edwards and John Williams will row the Indian ocean in 2007

Anne Quemere - kite boated across the Atlantic

Rapheala le Gouvello - windsurfed across the Atlantic and Pacific ocean