After just a week, Cyril Derreumaux has abandoned his attempt to kayak alone to Hawaii. He set off on May 31, and although the first few days went smoothly, conditions deteriorated over the last 72 hours. He eventually called for rescue.
Derreumaux had not moved since June 4. Because of the rough weather, he deployed his sea anchor and stayed inside the cabin.
Yesterday, winds reached 55-65kph with gusts over 80kph. The waves towered to 4.5m. He also had an issue with his sea anchor but couldn’t try to fix it in such weather.
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued Cyril Derremeux after just seven days at sea. Photo: @cyrildx
“It was clear that the situation was not sustainable,” he wrote. “Inability to eat, drink, sleep, communicate easily with my team ashore…We then reported the situation to the U.S. Coast Guard to jointly explore all possible options.”
Since Derreumaux was close to the coast and the forecast called for still worsening conditions, Derreumaux eventually chose to request immediate evacuation. “I was hoisted up that night around midnight by the U.S. Coast Guard,” he said afterward.
He is now making plans to recover his custom-made kayak, which is still drifting in the Pacific Ocean. “I won’t give up!!!” he insists.
