This sea adventurer’s arrival is historic. Kenichi Horie (83), became the oldest person to cross the Pacific alone and non-stop on Saturday. After a two-month journey that began at San Francisco’s Marina on March 27, this Japanese man reached the Kii Strait (western Japan).
Horie posted on his blog Friday that he was about to cross the finish line after a three-day battle with cross currents. Adding: “I am exhausted. The Suntory Mermaid III was equipped with solar panels, so the navigator could rely on it.
This is the latest achievement of the octogenarian Japanese octogenarian who crossed the Pacific in 1962 at the age 23. He had broken Japanese law that prohibited navigators from leaving Japan under sail, and so entered illegally into the USA.
He wrote in April that 60 years ago “I was always anxious and stressed about being caught.” “But this is different. I’ve been sent to by many people, and I have their support via tracking systems and wireless radio.
Kenichi Horie has also accomplished feats at sea. He completed a 7,500km journey on a pedal boat in 1993, and crossed the Pacific in 2008 aboard a boat that was partly made from recycled material. His propulsion system relied on the driving force provided by the waves.