First Solo Voyage Across The Pacific
In 1962, at the age of 23, Horie became the first person to make a solo crossing of the Pacific Ocean. Leaving Nishinomiya Japan on May 12, in 94 days (on August 11) he arrived in San Francisco, California, U.S.A. aboard a 19-foot (5.8 m) sailboat called the Mermaid. He arrived with no passport or money and was promptly arrested. Despite Horie’s best effort to legally depart from Japan, because of lack of precedent for an international travel on a small sailboat, he was not able to obtain a passport, and adequate amount of foreign currency. After learning of his voyage the mayor freed him and gave him a 30 day visa and was awarded the key to the city.
Read more about this topic: Kenichi Horie
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