There are over 2,200 miles between Monterey, California and Maui, Hawaii — enough distance to warrant taking a plane when traveling in between them, regardless of the fact that there’s a huge expanse of ocean there. But one lone explorer in a kayak is going to paddle across said expanse of ocean, something that hasn’t been accomplished in 25 years.
Explorer Wave Vidmar is setting out to perform this solo feat of strength and endurance soon, on the 25th anniversary of the first time it was accomplished in 1987 by Ed Gillet. Times have obviously changed in the past 25 years, and Vidmar is going to pull out all the stops for his proposed 50 days at sea, sitting alone in a kayak. In anticipation of rough weather and huge open water swells, he’ll be fitted in a kevlar and carbon fiber kayak, custom made by Seaward Kayaks on Vancouver Island, BC, according to CTV. On board solar panels will generate electricity so he can use a camera and computer to keep in touch with people on land. And he’ll also be carrying device to convert sea water into drinking water, so that he can wash down the dried food he’ll be bringing with him.
“This is not just a boat. It’s my home, and it’s my life raft,” Vidmar told CTV.
Life on a raft — or kayak, rather — for 50 days, across the Pacific. Now that’s living life to the extreme. In fact, many adventurers have compared his upcoming feat to climbing Mount Everest without oxygen.
Good luck, Wave! You’ve got the perfect first name to do this sort of thing…
