We knew the madmen who set out to row across the Atlantic. This time a Breton set out to make this crossing by sculling! From Hierro to the Canaries, he hopes to reach Martinique in around 50 days. 50 days during which he plans to scull 8 hours a day, mainly at night and in the morning to avoid the high heat. The rest of the time, his boat will drift.
It was precisely in anticipation of favourable weather that the departure was delayed by a few days. On stand-by in the Canaries, we had to wait for downwind conditions for the night drifts to be in the right direction. Today, a N'ly air flow has been established, which is pushing southwards and will enable us to reach the tradewinds. With wind, but not too much so that the waves are reasonable.
While waiting for good weather, Hervé Le Merrer was not alone, as Xavier Fabre set off at the same time as him, but on a rowing boat. These two sailors set off on 28th December 2017 at 14h30 from the port of La Restinga on El Hierro, the westernmost island of the Canaries.
Hervé Le Merrer is not on his first transatlantic race, as he has already sailed it 21 times! But the other sailings were all under sail. The fact remains that this time it is he who will be sailing his small 5.60 m boat, on which he has planned 6 oars to achieve his feat. It remains to be seen how his boat will behave when it encounters the big Atlantic swell?
