Traveling the World with a 71-Year-Old Kayaker
7 Video Views·Sep 12, 2024
At the age of 34, Aleksander Doba paddled his first kayak. From there began a love affair with the sea that continues nearly four decades later. Driven by a fearless curiosity, Aleksander took to exploring the world from the seat of a kayak. In 2017, at the age of 70, he kayaked across the Atlantic for the third time, spending 110 days solo at sea. His entire journey from New Jersey to Brittany, France, took him 5,039 miles across the ocean, battling tropical storms and treacherous waves. For some, his expeditions seem impossible, but with every new adventure, Aleksander discovers a new, beautiful way to see the world.
Many people say that my expeditions were basically impossible, as they imagine.
My name is Aleksander Doba. I'm already 71 years old.
I'm passionate about long-distance kayaking,
because I'm known for crossing the Atlantic Ocean three times.
I got into kayaking for the first time when I was 34.
That was in 1980.
But I liked it so much that it became my passion.
And I can't get rid of this passion. I don't even want to.
For me to cross the Atlantic Ocean, the kayak had to be big, specially built for me.
This kayak is 7 meters long and 1 meter wide.
It has a cabin, so I can sleep in it.
My first trip across the Atlantic Ocean was from Africa to South America.
It took me 99 days and I covered 5,500 kilometers.
My next trip was from Europe to Florida.
It took me 167 days and 12,427 kilometers.
My third trip was from North America to Europe.
It took me 110 days and 8,109 kilometers.
When the ocean is smooth, there are storms.
In total, during my expeditions, I had about 60 tropical storms
with big waves up to 7 meters high.
I had a dozen of turns up and down.
And on the ocean itself, there was no time to be afraid.
And I really wasn't afraid on the ocean.
This curiosity of the world makes me not want to be an average gray man
who has little interest.
These various expeditions make me feel joyful, happy, full of energy and healthy.