Olek is drifting without a rudder in the Atlantic

I’m checking around the entire kayak, the equipment, the supplies, the tools, looking for anything I could use to make a stronger replacement steering system, writes Alexander Doba from the Atlantic.

Olek is drifting without a rudder in the Atlantic

By Piotr Chmielinski

“I’m checking around the entire kayak, the equipment, the supplies, the tools, looking for anything I could use to make a stronger replacement steering system,” writes Alexander Doba from the Atlantic.

The traveler has been drifting in the ocean for some days now, about 650 nautical miles off the US coast and 2,350 nautical miles from Europe, the goal of his Third Transatlantic Kayak Expedition. The data show that, unfortunately, he has backed up by about 50 miles from last Friday. Despite the serious damage to his kayak “OLO”, Olek, however, has not decided to stop the expedition; at least not until all the attempts to solve the problem prove fruitless.

Currently, three options of rudder repair are being considered. The first is the construction of another replacement control system to be done by Olek. He would need the system efficient enough to allow him to reach at least the nearest European land – for example the Azores. Unfortunately, in the present ocean conditions, it will be difficult to assemble a device durable enough to bring “OLO” successfully to any shore.

Another, possibly more effective solution, is to repair the rudder on board one of the ships passing near Olek’s location. “It would take just an hour to repair the damage with materials and tools available on any oceanic vessel,” Olek assures. There is an ongoing search for a ship that could get to the spot where the kayak is currently drifting and provide the help.

The third option is to get to Olek ‘s location from the nearest land, in this case from Bermuda, and deliver a new complete rudder system with the spare parts. However, this choice will be a rather expensive operation, because it requires a vessel that is capable of reaching a distance of about 400 nautical miles away in the Atlantic.

Also, the weather conditions would play an important role in allowing this kind of assistance. According to the expedition meteorologist Dr. Robert Krasowski, the weather conditions appear to be quite encouraging this week:

“A strong stationary high pressure area east of Olek’s location will dominate the weather in the area. Eventually, it will slowly move southwest and provide favorable southwest winds to a magnitude of 4 degrees Beaufort. A passage of a weak cold front is possible on Wednesday, and Thursday should be dry with a temperature of about 24 degrees Celsius. The unfavorable waves of up to five feet from the southeast will change direction to the more favorable south and then southwest towards the end of the week. Generally, the coming week looks calm and it will work out for Olek.”

Subsequent reports will provide more information

about Olek’s situation in the Atlantic.