Maud Fontenoy - another adventure has begun
Jan 26, 2005 03: 31 EST
Previously published Jan 13, 2005
"I made it! I made it! It's magnificent!!!" Early morning of October 9, 2003 at 04.00 local time Maud set foot on Spanish turf. Last time she had touched land was on June 13 in Canada; 117 days earlier. With her Spanish landfall, Maud Fontenoy became the first woman to row across the Atlantic ocean West to East.
Not even the tow ship would go out
She had been drinking sea water, fought off sharks, and tumbled in 30 feet waves. In the final weeks she was caught up in endless circles in the North Atlantic. Cargo ships brushed pass her like giant, frightening ghosts in the night.
Injured and badly beaten she pushed hard towards east, but the strong wind and the waves took her south without mercy. She arrived at the rocky coast in agitated seas and darkness, where not even the tow ship would go out to get her.
Stole the heart of Amazon kings
But she never gave up and she stole the heart of Amazon kings and Polar veterans alike. A Prince paid her a visit when all hope was out and dropped fresh water by her boat.
At ExplorersWeb we received countless mails from hard core adventurers declaring their love for this brave little girl. Her fighting spirit, her romantic messages in the midst of brutal storms and her relentless will not to give up proved more alluring than anything.
“...to be continued..."
Returning home Maud penned a book and traveled - fulfilling a promise she made to herself when she thought she would die during a big storm at sea in August. Upon her return, she said she'd begin work on her new project. Just what it was? She said… “to be continued."
Next, a mail arrived: "Hello all, It seems that the dice is tossed." Yes, the Pacific was up next and the team raced to raise the sponsorship for it. And today June 12, at 17h40 (22h40 GMT) she cast away. Here's her first dispatch:
Not far from the pirates
"Departure. One year I have prepared this moment. I will try to escape the heat and plan to row all night. The weather indicates very weak winds and currents which will push me towards north. A boat of the Peruvian National Navy will make me company the first night to protect me from the cargo liners. I will stay in the cargo liners zone for the initial 2-3 weeks and according to the Navy not far from the pirates who go along the dimension."
"I kiss you, Maud"
"Yet I feel excited to be on my way, excited to launch this adventure and stressed by this complicated departure. I hurry to put myself far, very far from these dangerous dimensions.
I think of all of you who has helped and encouraged me, written small notes to be carried with me - you will be in my thoughts this evening - my first at sea, I kiss you, Maud"
French rower Maud Fontenoy set out from St. Pierre et Miquelon, Canada on June 13 in an attempt to become the first woman to row across the Atlantic West to East. 117 days and an arduous journey later, she reached that goal on October 9th, 2003. Note! Maud actually rowed from France to Spain! Maud departed from St Pierre et Miquelon which is situated just off the coast of Canada, but is in fact part of France.
This time, Maud plans to row solo from Callao, Peru to French Polynesia, mid-Pacific to follow the route of Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition.
Images of Maud's departure courtesy of munilapunta.gob.pe
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