A Week in the Ocean

Today marks exactly a week since I set out on a solo journey to Cape Horn on the rowboat “AKROS”.  I have travelled 500 km, and I am only 270 km closer to my destination. Half of the distance covered has been in vain, but that’s how the weather worked out. An Easterly wind (headwind) prevents me from moving forward. I am travelling with the wind at portside, and the keel in the bow of the boat is a great help, without the keel I would have been dragged even further West, toward New Zealand. Instead, I have kept the 180-200° course during the day. Forecasts have shown the winds are backing to Northerlies, and that tomorrow it will back further to a tailwind. I will be making up for lost time.

I had counted on travelling 50-60 miles a day, and I am currently going at half that speed. In the Southern Ocean the suitable season lasts for three months (December, January, and February), covering the Southern Hemisphere’s summer months. This is, of course, no guarantee of an absence of storms. There are always storms here, but the air is warmer and the intensity of the storms is diminished somewhat. The weather conditions begin to worsen with the onset of Autumn (throughout March and April). So the season is short, which means I cannot waste any time.

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes.  It is very touching that you remember me, are thinking of me, and praying for me. I try to think of you all in my morning and evening prayers.

I have received many messages through the Iridium 360 service, including from the Mayor of Moscow – Sergey Sobyanin.  He didn’t think I would read his message, but satellite technology allows for receiving messages even in the Southern Ocean.  God willing, I will return to Moscow having completed what I have begun – the erection of a bronze sculpture of Nikolas the Wonderworker Mysgornovsky in Lyublino. As an honorary resident of the municipal district of Lyublino, I am working with my friends to erect a sculpture of Nikolas the Wonderworker Mysgornovsky – protector of sailors and travellers – in our district.

This summer we installed a statue in the centre of Murmansk, but ran out of time to do the same in Moscow.  I am planning to return and to complete the project by 22 May 2019.

Fedor Konyukhov

South Pacific Ocean