Reid Stowe, who intends to spend 1,000 days at sea aboard his 70-foot schooner Anne without resupply, has reached the significant milestone of 600 days. He departed New York City in April 2007 and will reach 1,000 days in 2010.
From the press release: On Friday December 12, 2008 sailor, artist and boat builder Reid Stowe will complete 600 of his 1,000 Days Non-Stop at Sea voyage on his handmade schooner Anne. On his return to New York in 2010, he will have spent nearly three years without stopping or resupplying, surpassing the current 658-day record for nonstop solo sailing held by the Australian Jon Sanders. After day 658, he aims to set the mark “for the longest period on record by crew or individual ever during a continuous voyage”. Beyond the records he challenges, in a world consumed by issues of ecology, energy and food, Stowe’s challenge is a studied example of self-sufficiency.
Surviving on rainwater, fresh fish, sprouted beans from stored provisions, and supplying his own energy by water and the sun while regenerating his spirit with yoga and prayer, Stowe is evidence that challenges of ecological sensitivity and survival can be met spiritually and pragmatically. The schooner contains three years of food and supplies, and provides its own energy for lights, winches, and satellite communications from solar panels, and water generators driven by the forward motion of the boat. The Anne stopped receiving shore power nearly a year before her departure, and the plan is to take no resupply of any item nor to port for 1000 days.
Stowe sees the project as a space analogous expedition because the voyage involves the same length of time as a round trip to Mars and poses similar human psychological endurance issues. He published an article in 1990 entitled “Seafarers of today provide a role model for spacefarers of tomorrow.” Twenty-one years in the planning and launched April 2007, the journey has evolved to a larger experience of spirit and heart for Stowe, his many faithful volunteers and the followers of his logs and pictures that are sent via satellite phone and published on his website (http://www.1000days.net).
