French native and Larkspur resident Cyril Derreumaux left Fort Baker at the crack of dawn on Monday morning, embarking on a solo kayak journey across 2,400 nautical miles to Hawaii. The journey is expected to take around 70 days. You can track his journey in real time (updated every hour) on a map or by following his team on social media. (See website info below.)
Derraumaux is no stranger to adventure. From a California Diver article: “He has already completed the Catalina Outrigger Challenge 4 times, last completing the 32-mile race in 5 hours. He also competed in the 43-mile Molokai Hoe Outrigger Championships in Hawaii four times. In 2012, he completed the Yukon River Quest in Canada – a 440 mile canoe race that he completed in 45 hours, and in 2014 he completed the Cal100, a 100 mile canoe race in California in 12 hours. Most recently, Cyril won a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for rowing from Monterey, California to Honolulu, Hawaii with a four-person international team, covering the 2,400 miles in 39 days with no support or assistance.”
His custom-built kayak was made in England by in Rob Feloy, a famed designer and builder of ocean-going kayaks.
If all goes well, he should land on Waikiki Beach in August.