Press article

Solo Atlantic rower makes land at Parika

Friday, November, 15 2002

Ninety-six days and 4260 miles later

By Edlyn Benfield

Ninety-six days after setting sail for Guyana from Lisbon, Portugal, Norwegian solo rower, Dr. Stein Hoff came ashore yesterday afternoon at Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
The 57-year-old medical doctor is now the first person to row unassisted from Europe to South America. He received a warm welcome from a large crowd of curious Guyanese spectators, Coast Guard officials, fellow Norwegian, Magnus Saxegaard and a few members of the media.

“Greetings from Portugal to you all. It feels great to be here. Guyana must be good for me. I love it,” Hoff yelled to the crowd from the Parika stelling steps on his arrival around 4 pm.
Hoff was spending his first night on dry land at the Cara Inn waiting on his wife and mother to arrive from Norway. His boat has been transported to Georgetown and discussions are underway as to whether he will make an official landing later today.
Recounting his epic voyage, Hoff told the media that he rowed for approximately nine hours each day while the remaining hours were spent resting.
“It’s not about power, it’s about courage and cunning,” Hoff declared. He related that yesterday and Wednesday proved the most difficult of the trip.

Dr. Stein Hoff (third from right) poses with
Lt Commander of Guyana Coast Guard Derrick Erskine (second from right) and John Flores (third from left), fellow Norwegian Magnus Saxegaard (fourth from right) and other members of the Army Coast Guard crew who assisted in guiding Hoff from Tuschen to Parika yesterday. Hoff boated across the Atlantic from Portugal. (Ken Moore photo)

In this Ken Moore photo, spectators watch in fascination from the Parika stelling as Norwegian solo rower, Dr. Stein Hoff completes his three-month journey from Portugal to Guyana.

Hoff’s journal recorded on his website (tp://www. oceanrowing.com/Hoff/news) chronicles the whole voyage including his last few days approaching Guyana.
According to Hoff, the hair-raising encounters he faced during those days included side winds, rough weather just off the Brazilian coast and a strong current in the Demerara river as he neared Georgetown. His Star Atlantic II boat was possibly penetrated by sharp fishing piles just off New Amsterdam.
The solo rower, who was presented with a Banks Beer immediately after he set foot on the Guyanese soil by Coast Guard personnel, thanked them for guiding him from Tuschen in the Essequibo river to Parika after his boat was dragged by strong tides away from Georgetown around midmorning yesterday.

When it became clear he had missed the course, Hoff used his satellite phone to contact a local journalist with whom he had stayed in contact for parts of the trip and he got in touch with Coast Guard officials.
Initially, the officials were unable to locate Hoff as they experienced difficulties reaching him by his radio, which had conked out. But the crew under the command of Lieutenant Commanders, Derrick Erskine and John Flores eventually caught up with him at Tuschen.
In response to questions concerning his health, Hoff said he had taken a blood test before leaving Portugal and was in perfect physical condition with the exception of some pain in his leg muscles and between the shoulder blades. Hoff also had managed not to exhaust his supply of favourite fruits and chocolate. In the last days he had been reading Robinson Crusoe and going through the last of his rations which included tuna, ketchup, cereal, gherkins, cheese and crisp bread all washed down with red wine.
Trinidad, French Guiana, Suriname and the coast of Brazil were among the places Hoff passed en route to Guyana.
Hoff remarked that his wife, Diana, expected to arrive here last night along with his mother, would undoubtedly be disappointed about missing out on his actual landing.
Earlier, Saxegaard an Overseas Development Institute (ODI) economist working within the Ministry of Finance, told Stabroek News that Diana had previously sailed unassisted from the Canary Islands to Barbados and that Hoff had done the same.
Saxegaard also revealed that the Star Atlantic II, which measures 1.9 metres in width and 7.1 metres in length, was built by the Hoffs.
He added that the boat’s net weight totalled 450 kilos but when fully loaded weighed 800 kilos.