 He expects the
7,000-mile journey to take up to eight months and he’s outfitted his rowboat, dubbed
the Brittany Rose, accordingly. It’s packed with food for 250 days, a device
to convert saltwater to fresh water, and a single-burner gas stove. For the really tough
nights, there’s a bottle of gin.Then there are a number of high-tech amenities. Solar panels on the boat will give Halsey a source of power. He has a global positioning system to keep him headed in the right direction and a computer so that he can stay in touch with friends via e-mail. Halsey has some idea of what he is getting into. Two years ago, he rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. It took 116 days and he says he nearly died. This time around, he faces an even longer stretch on the high seas. And he has a torn knee ligament. On top of it all, Halsey is epileptic. But he says that condition only helps drive him. He wants his voyage to serve as a message that sufferers can do what they want. A speed boat towed him from the dock along San Diego Bay out to the open ocean. At six miles out, the tow line was cut and Halsey was on his own. You can follow Halsey’s progress at a web site that he has set up for that purpose. Just follow the Internet link of the Ocean Rowing Society (www.oceanrowing.com) |
