Kayaker on solo voyage across Pacific rescued after weather ‘went from bad to worse’

A kayaking enthusiast’s ambitious, 70-day voyage to break a Guinness World Record came to a halt after he had to be rescued within six days of his journey across the Pacific.

Cyril Derreumaux set out on a solo kayak journey on 31 May to paddle 2,400-miles from Sausalit, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, crossing the Pacific.

He planned to complete the journey in 60-70 days, setting a record if he finished it in 64 days.

However, the adventure had to be cut short after six days due to a choppy sea and rough winds. He encountered several problems as conditions deteriorated. He said he made a “very difficult decision to request an evacuation” when the kayak’s sea anchor was reportedly damaged.

Mr Derreumaux said in a Facebook post that he was immobilised under the sea anchor for three days on his 23-foot (7 metre) kayak, equipped with space for sleeping and taking shelter.

He said the situation was manageable even when the “the waves were breaking on the cabin of my kayak” and it was pummelled with 4.5 metre-high waves.

But later on the cue of his ground crew, he found that his GPS had stopped functioning and the vessel’s anchor lines became entangled in the rudder.

“In a few moments my kayak was positioned almost parallel to the axis of the waves, and I found myself violently tossed from side to side, along with all the equipment that was stored in the cabin,” he said.

“As night had just fallen, it was clear that the situation was not sustainable: Inability to eat, drink, sleep, communicate easily with my team ashore,” he added.

After consulting his land crew, he called US Coast Guard to rescue him on Saturday night about 70 miles west of Santa Cruz. The video by Coast Guard showed a helicopter lowering a diver to help Mr Derreumaux climb up.

He said deteriorating weather conditions could have made the rescue operations more complex and dangerous for all in the coming days if he had not taken the decision.

His kayak remains adrift in the ocean which he wants to retrieve this week when the winds die down.

“I knew from the start that it would be a difficult thing.” he said, adding, “I still have passion for this adventure intact, and I am still determined to make it happen... I won’t give up!!!”