GRATULACJE, Erden!

Turkish Adventurer Rows Across Atlantic

By AA, Madrid
Published: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 zaman.com

Erden Eruc, a 45-year-old Turkish adventurer, started his around the world adventure by successfully rowing a 7.9- meter long boat across the Atlantic.
Setting off from Lisbon in Portugal on 19 October 2005, Eruc successfully crossed the Atlantic rowing to the Caribbean Barbados Island arriving on April 30.
He is the first Turkish man to cross the Atlantic Ocean powered only by his own muscle. Still rowing on the ocean, Eruc hopes to reach the Costa Rican city of Limon on June 5 or 10.
Dreaming of rowing around the world since 1997, Eruc first rowed from North America to Alaska in 2003.
Also planning to climb the world’s highest summits on six separate contents, not including the South Pole, the Turkish adventurer hopes to realize his dreams by 2011, if everything proceeds as planned.


Way to go, Erden!

Additionally, he already 'began' his round the world adventure by riding his bike from Seattle (his current home, where he lives with his wife, Nancy) to Alaska, then climbed Denali (Mt. McKinley), the highest peak in North America, and then rode back to Seattle...and has also completed the cross-North America-leg on bike, too. However, weather systems and water currents defeated the option of rowing from Flordia to Europe, hence his row east to west. Regardless, he's done a magnificent job and also did 98% of it solo, which was unplanned, too. Kudos to you, Erden, we're glad to hear you're safe and sound!

For more info, check out his website and boat/satellite tracker at:

www.around-n-over.org

Cheers!