Software engineer Erden Eruç left in a rowboat from Bodega Bay, California on July 11, 2007, after riding his bicycle from Seattle. The goal?
Human-powered circumnavigation of the globe., including climbing the highest peak on each continent, in order to educate, inspire (and raise some money for) children's organizations. On the evening of July 21, 2012,
he completed his trip, mostly successfully.
[more inside]
posted by anarch
on Jul 21, 2012 -
15 comments
Donald Crowhurst (1932–1969) was a British businessman and amateur sailor who died while competing in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, a single-handed, round-the-world yacht race. Crowhurst had entered the race in hopes of winning a cash prize from The Sunday Times to aid his failing business. Instead, he encountered difficulty early in the voyage, and secretly abandoned the race while reporting false positions, in an attempt to appear to complete a circumnavigation without actually circling the world. Evidence found after his disappearance indicates that this attempt ended in insanity and suicide. (previously: 1, 2)
posted by Trurl
on Nov 17, 2011 -
11 comments
On June 27, 1898, all but unnoticed, a Canadian seaman named
Joshua Slocum sailed his rebuilt oyster boat
Spray into Newport, Rhode Island, completing a 3-year, 46,000 mile voyage conducted solely by
dead reckoning that made him
the first man to ever achieve a solo circumnavigation of the world. His account of the feat,
Sailing Alone Around The World (HTML with illustrations, plain text, EPUB, audio), was described by
Arthur Ransome as "one of the immortal books". In 1909, Slocum set out in the
Spray for the West Indies. Neither he nor the craft were ever seen again.
posted by Joe Beese
on Apr 30, 2010 -
27 comments
That much wind means
some very big and nasty waves...
We experienced a total of 4 knockdowns, the second was the most severe with the mast being pushed 180 degrees in to the water. Actually pushed isn't the right word, it would be more accurate to say that Ella's Pink Lady was picked up, thrown down a wave, then forced under a mountain of breaking water and violently turned upside down.
posted by Huplescat
on Mar 19, 2010 -
40 comments
The
circumnavigators are out there. In February,
Mike Beaumont completed the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle. Tomorrow,
Rosie Swale, age 62, finishes her 4 1/2 year run around the world. As posted
previously, Zac Sunderland is now attempting to break the record for the youngest sailing circumnavigation of the planet, now held by
Jesse Martin.
posted by Xurando
on Aug 24, 2008 -
9 comments
Jason Lewis has become the first man to
circumnavigate the Earth using human power alone. It only took him 13 years: he set off from London in July, 1994 and ended his expedition in October, 2007, having travelled 46,505 miles (on foot and by pedal boat, roller blades, kayak, and bicycle). [via
QI]
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posted by chuckdarwin
on Oct 12, 2007 -
31 comments
Ellen Macarthur is trying to break the solo round-the-world sailing record. From
her website you can see stills and videos while she’s enroute, and track her progress. Meanwhile, the
Vendee Globe is underway, with 20 sailors racing a similar course – also nonstop, and with no outside assistance allowed. The first solo nonstop circumnavigation was only 35 years ago, and the record has gone from
313 days to 72. It’s the slow way around, to be sure, and that’s probably why only
a few dozen people have done it.
posted by Framer
on Jan 5, 2005 -
5 comments
The moon landing of its day. Between 1768 and 1771, Captain James Cook and his ship, HMS Endeavour, circumnavigated the globe on the first exclusively scientific voyage. This site presents most of the botanical drawings and engravings prepared by artist Sydney Parkinson before his untimely death at sea, and by other artists back in England working from Parkinson's initial sketches.
posted by thatwhichfalls
on Jan 4, 2004 -
9 comments
In May 1999, Chris and Erin Ratay quit their jobs, sold their Upper West Side Manhattan apartment, and shipped their motorcycles to Morocco to begin a trip around the world.
Now, four years, 50 countries, and 100,000 miles later, they're back home. They've kept a continuously updated web journal over the past four years, available
here. Ignore the unfortunate font and JavaScript choices and read this couple's incredible story.
posted by grrarrgh00
on Aug 11, 2003 -
7 comments
Diane Stuemer , an Ottawa area entrepreneur, and her husband reevaluated their priorities in the early 90's after Diane was diagnosed with malignant melanoma and her husband had a work related accident. After her cancer went into remission, and fearful that her 3 children would grow up without remembering her, the family took the bold decision to pack up everything and circumnavigate the world. Despite having less than 4 days of sailing experience, the family took to the seas with great enthusiasm.
The Northern Magic became the Steumer's home for 4 years as they travelled around the world. During that time Diane wrote a series of weekly
dispatches to the readers of her hometown's newspaper. It became a tradition in many Ottawa households to read Diane's column in the saturday paper while dreaming of the exotic locals she was writing about (a sharp contrast from Ottawa's winters).
In those 4 years, readers got to experience Herbert (the husband) become a master mechanic, Diane adapt to life afloat, and the 3 sons grow up. When the Stuemers finally arrived home in Ottawa in August of 2001 they where greeted by
thousands of well-wishers.
Sadly, Ottawa residents learned early in February that Diane had been readmitted to hospital where she was fighting a very aggressive melanoma battle. Today,
Diane succumbed to her illness and passed away.
During their voyage, the entire family took on
several projects in the countries they visited which are still active today. What amazes me about Diane is the experiences she lived through with her children, the memories they will cherish and the lasting effect their travels will have on the people they met.
posted by smcniven
on Mar 15, 2003 -
19 comments
