Solo Kayaker Heads To Bermuda For Repairs

A sea kayaker attempting to make a trans-Atlantic trip from Portugal to Florida, an endeavor that will see him become the first person to travel from Europe to North America in a kayak if completely successfully, is currently on his way to Bermuda to have the kayak’s rudder repaired.

Aleksander Doba, a 67-year-old adventurer from Poland, began his trip on October 5, 2013. The rudder on Doba’s custom kayak broke in a storm on February 13, a National Geographic report said.

Doba is unhurt, but he will not be able to paddle against the stiff trade winds with a broken rudder. Since January 1, after three months of steady progress across the Atlantic and 90 percent of his journey complete, Doba has been fighting unexpected storms and paddling in circles.

Doba’s friend and supporter Piotr Chmielinski, also an adventure kayaker, told National Geographic that he plans to go to Bermuda, to assist in repairs to Doba’s kayak. The Virginia-based Chmielinski says he hopes to help Doba at sea, if possible, to minimize disruption to the journey. They may need to seek the nearest harbor, most likely Bermuda, to make repairs to the boat.

[Photo courtesy of Piotr Chmielinski]

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