A board, a paddle and a 5,000km dream

Frenchman Nicolas Jarossay has set off on a 5,000km odyssey to become the first person to cross the Atlantic solo - on a stand-up paddle board. Mr Jarossay, a 38-year-old firefighter and endurance sports fanatic, left Praia on the Cape Verde coast on
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Frenchman Nicolas Jarossay has set off on a 5,000km odyssey to become the first person to cross the Atlantic solo - on a stand-up paddle board. Mr Jarossay, a 38-year-old firefighter and endurance sports fanatic, left Praia on the Cape Verde coast on Sunday on the first stage of an ambitious trip which is scheduled to see him paddle to the French Caribbean island of Martinique in just over two months. According to a website dedicated to the feat, a specially designed 6.5m by 1m paddle board will be Mr Jarossay's home for the next 75 days. It will house a compact dual-use compartment that will act as both shelter and storage for the duration of the crossing. He will eat only freeze-dried food and produce drinking water using manual desalinators. Navigation and security equipment - including beacons, GPS, a satellite phone and a survival suit - will help link Mr Jarossay to his team on land and ensure he is safe.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 12, 2016, with the headline A board, a paddle and a 5,000km dream. Subscribe