Sven Yrvind was beaten by his teachers, locked up for desertion and learned the value of books from a psychopath. Then he built a boat in his mother’s basement and sailed into legend.
Click on the player to listen to Sven’s story.
Also on Travel Grit: Hugo Vihlen crossed the Atlantic in the smallest boat ever to make the crossing. Hear his story.
Travel Grit: What was the first day of your Long Ride across Australia like? Gin Szagola: It felt like I was going to my own funeral, if I’m going to be completely honest. I set off with the realization that this could be it, you know, everything could go tits up. It could be a complete dumpster fire. My horse could kill me. He could kill himself. It could just be a complete disaster.
– Gin Szagola describing the first day of her ride across Australia. Listen to her interview here.
Hugo Vihlen’s Atlantic crossing routes: April Fool (1968, 6-foot boat, 85 days) and Father’s Day (1993, 5’4″ boat, 105 days). Map from Hugo’s book, The Stormy Voyage of Father’s Day.
At 62, Hugo Vihlen sailed across the Atlantic in Father’s Day—a boat just 5 feet 4 inches long. He hand-steered through a hurricane, ate quarter rations, and lost a kidney somewhere between Newfoundland and England. His record still stands 30+ years later.
Listen now.
Hugo Vihlen’s Atlantic crossing routes: April Fool (1968, 6-foot boat, 85 days) and Father’s Day (1993, 5’4″ boat, 105 days). Map from Hugo’s book, The Stormy Voyage of Father’s Day.Transcript
Thies Matzen and his wife Kicki Ericson have sailed 150,000 miles aboard Wanderer III — their 30-foot wooden sloop — much of it through the Southern Ocean. They overwintered at South Georgia Island for two years and sailed to Antarctica on the smallest traditionally planked wooden boat to ever make that voyage.
Sven Yrvind was beaten by his teachers, locked up for desertion and learned the value of books from a psychopath. Then he built a boat in his mother’s basement and sailed into legend.
Sea G Rhydr is heading across America by covered wagon with Shetland ponies and a corgi named Thick — and she had questions. I had answers, from crossing cattle guards to whether your horse needs a diaper.
Sea G Rhydr is planning a covered wagon journey across America with a team of Welsh ponies and her corgi, Thick. This is the transcript of a conversation we had recently.
The body of the covered wagon that Sea G Rhydr plans to take on her journey through America
