Ocean Fours: "U.S. Customs seems to be keen on Dutch rowing vessels"
May 6, 2005 15: 48 EST
Yesterday, the Ocean Fours ocean-rowing team cleared customs and set foot on U.S. soil. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for their boat, which is experiencing some delays getting past customs. In a phone interview, rower Jaap Koomen joked: “U.S. Customs seems to be keen on Dutch rowing vessels.”
Free New Jersey gym membership
The team is in Atlantic Highlands, NJ (just south of New York), and they think they may be “the first Dutch guys to visit Atlantic Highlands.” But it seems New Jersey has opened its arms to the rowers; a local fitness club has offered them a free two week membership. They plan to make it up to New York, where they’ll begin their Atlantic crossing, on the weekend of May 19th. Jaap mentioned that Oliver Hicks, who’s attempting a solo crossing of the Atlantic, will be in New York on May 11th.
Aiming for 50 days
While waiting for their boat, the Ocean Fours team is preparing the electronic equipment and sealing up their food. Jaap says, “We really can’t wait to start! The record for an Atlantic crossing is 55 days; we’re aiming for 50 days.”
Ocean Fours plans to set a world record by rowing from New York to the Scilly Islands (UK) in less then 55 days. After this journey they will row to their home city, Rotterdam. The team members are Gijs Groeneveld, Robert Hoeve, Jaap Koomen, and Maarten Staarink.
Frank Samuelson and George Harbo, two Norwegian immigrants and fishermen, rowed with an eighteen foot skiff ‘The Fox” in 55 days from New York to the Scilly Islands. The ocean rowing pioneers ended their trip in Le Havre. They hoped to cash in on the lucrative lecture tour circuit and make their fortunes. But they ended up with two medals and had to return to fishing. George Harbo died in 1908 and Frank Samuelson in 1946. Their record of 55 days has yet to be broken for that particular route.
Ocean Fours will make their Atlantic crossing attempt in an 11.1 meter long boat. They will be using Contact 3.0 software to provide live images and updates of their expedition.
Image courtesy of oceanfours.com.
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