A departure from the Canary Islands
For wind and current issues, the departure of a rowing transatlantic can only be from the Canary Islands or the West African coast. So it was from the island of La Gomera that Jasmine set off.
Measuring 7 m with a displacement of approximately one tonne, her boat has a central rowing station, a rear cabin and the forward station is used for bunkering. Its sandwich construction makes it unsinkable. She is monitored by a tracking beacon, and the two onboard Iridiums have enabled Jasmine to maintain daily vacations with her family and friends.
By the strength of arms
Jasmine travelled a distance of about 3,000 miles with the strength of her arms. She alternated two-hour rowing sessions before agreeing to an off-shift of the same duration. With an average of between 2 and 3 knots, it was a real test of slowness and endurance that Jasmine set out on.
A moderate tradewind didn't allow her to keep her 60-day objective and she had to ration herself at the end of her journey. The Spartan comfort of her boat doesn't seem to have caused her any problems.
A capsizing two days before arrival
The adventure almost ended two days before the finish, when Jasmine's canoe capsized 100 miles from the finish. The righting system worked perfectly, allowing her to complete her course. She arrived on the island of Antigua on 20th February 2021, completing her transat in 70 days, 3 hours and 48 minutes.
It revives the record held so far by American Katie Spotz, who followed the same course in 2010 at the age of 22. The youngest person to row across the Atlantic remains Lukas Haitzmann (one man), who completed his transatlantic crossing in 2019 at just 18 years of age.
