|
|
|
Raphaela did it!
09:13 a.m. EST Nov 3, 2003
French adventurer Raphaela Le Gouvello arrived in Tahiti at 12:57 a.m. local time on Sunday completing a 4,455 mile solo journey across the Pacific Ocean on her windsurf board.
After 89 days and 7 hours with nothing but the sky, wind and waves around her, through long days and nights of humility and solitude, Rapahaela was taken aback by the warm reception of thousands of well wishers who’d been lined up on the quays of Papeete since 4:00 p.m. to greet her. Hundreds more turned out in catamarans, jet skis yachts and boats to welcome Raphaela as she passed through the harbor. On her arrival, she was declared “Queen of Tahiti” while Polynesian dancers performed in celebration.
Raphaela began her journey from Peru on August 5, and surfed across the Pacific right according to schedule. She reached to within 150 miles of Tahiti last week, and would have completed the journey days ago, (even ahead of her prediction) when the wind died out for days. Yesterday, just 13 miles from her goal, the day began with rain, but, again no WIND. Finally, at about 11:00 am, the wind blew up intermittent gusts of 20 knots pushing Raphaela on her biggest sail up to 6 knots. A steady wind of 15 knots eventually settled in and a radiant Raphaella approached passed through Papeete’s natural harbor with a smile on her face, but a tinge of sadness that her adventure has come to an end.
French adventurer Raphaela le Gouvello is trying to cross the Pacific Ocean solo on a surfboard. Raphaela has earlier solo surfed the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Her current sail follow in the footsteps of Thor Hejerdahl's Kon Tiki:
"Each time you take off on the sea, you have to be prepared for new difficulties. I expect the challenge of the Pacific to be dealing with its huge dimension. The swell is likely to be larger and stronger. Everything is multiplied by the scale of this ocean. For instance, the shark density is 3 times higher that of the Atlantic!
For over 2 months, I will find myself far from any human being, alone with the trade winds and currents that will push me West. The challenge will be to stay vigilant, awake, and in a good physical condition, along with the gear holding up".
Image of Raphaela waiting for wind on morning of November 2, 2003 courtesy of Odyssée du Vent 2003 - Raphaëla Le Gouvello.
|
