Kayaker Spends Nearly 72 Days Alone at Sea While Crossing Atlantic Ocean

A paddler just completed a once in a lifetime adventure after crossing the Atlantic Ocean, ultimately setting a new record.
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean / Jenna Bash - Unsplash

Alone in the Atlantic Ocean on a Kayak

Just two days before Christmas, an unwavering kayaker left the shore of La Restinga in hopes of completing his long-awaited goal of crossing the Atlantic Ocean. While a daunting feat on its own, the paddler amped up the thrill by embarking on his trip solo.

The adventurous individual who took on such a challenge was experienced paddler, Cyril Derreumaux. As reported in ExplorersWeb, after a grueling 71 days, 14 hours and 57 minutes alone at sea, he finally reached the island of Martinique on March 4.

World Record on The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans

Along his journey, Derreumaux publicly shared his live tracker with his friends, family and followers, many of whom are quite familiar with his vast undertakings. In 2022, he paddled a whopping 2,800 miles as he crossed the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii. Now that his 3,000 mile journey across the Atlantic has also been checked off, Derreumaux is now the first person to cross both oceans solo via kayak.

As listed on his official website, in 2016, he set a Guinness World Record with three other men after they rowed the Mid-Pacific Ocean in a record time of 39 days, 9 hours and 56 minutes, guided only by their passion and determination.

In one of his final live tracking posts from his Atlantic crossing, Derreumaux stated, "Today is day 70 on the water. If you add those 70 days, plus the 39 days of my first crossing in the rowing boat in 2016, plus the 91 days of my first kayak crossing to Hawaii in 2022, the total is 200. Quite impressive to think that I have been sleeping on the open ocean water for 200 days."

"The next two days are going to be big," he continued. He was right—aside from handling what the sea brought, he quickly approached the final day of his journey. Now that the trip has been successfully completed, Derreumaux can now relax and start conjuring up his next big adventure.

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Maria Aldrich
MARIA ALDRICH

Maria Aldrich graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education. While earning her degrees, she learned the fundamentals of climbing, wilderness travel, and leadership in the backcountry. These skills built upon Maria's lifelong passion for the outdoors. Following graduation, she began working in the outdoor recreation field, serving individuals with disabilities to help them access outdoor pursuits including hiking, paddling, horseback riding, and snowshoeing. The following year, Maria moved to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State to continue working towards a life of adventure and writing. She has continued rock and ice climbing, hiking in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks, and paddling through various rivers while documenting her experiences through writing. When Maria isn’t adventuring in the mountains, she can be found reading a book, fishing on a shoreline, or spending time with family.