John Fairfax, 1st to row alone across Atlantic, dies in Nevada
Posted by Pete Hummers on February 20, 2012
From the Washington Post:
John Fairfax, the first known person to row alone across the Atlantic Ocean, has died at his Las Vegas-area home. He was 74.
The self-described “professional adventurer” died Feb. 8 of an apparent heart attack in Henderson, his wife, Tiffany, said Sunday.
Fairfax gained international attention in 1969 when he became the first person in recorded history to cross the Atlantic alone by rowboat. He dealt with sharks, storms and exhaustion on the six-month, 5,000-mile journey from the Canary Islands to Florida.
Continue reading at The Washington Post »
Jim Hansen said
I am sure I read his books when I was in kid in the 1970′s. I was enamored with the people who would sail solo across the oceans in small sailboats and read lots of books on such adventures. I also read a few books about those who rowed across the Atlantic and Pacific so I am sure I read his books.I even bought a small sailboat in Junior High School to practice my sailing for attempting such a feat some day. Then I discovered running and sold the sailboat and read and dreamt about running across the USA some day. It never happened. Then a bought a kickbike….ah, I ought to stick to reading. Seeing his obituary reminded me of all those books and dreams from long ago. Great adventure stories!