VLADIVOSTOK, March 20. /ITAR-TASS/. World-famous Russian traveller Fyodor Konyukhov, who continues his solo voyage from Chile to Australia in his Turgoyak boat, has gotten through 15 stormy days in the Pacific.
Tropical cyclone Mike is carrying his boat to Bellingshausen Atoll, also known as Motu One, in the Leeward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia.
“Just 67 miles are left,” Fyodor told the Moscow-based expedition headquarters on Thursday, adding that he made frantic efforts to row north of the Society Islands. Fifteen-day stormy winds threw his boat southward and he failed to keep his Turgoyak on the right course.
“The ocean is roaring, waves are high,” he said. “In the day sunshine cannot break through thick clouds. There is no border between ocean and sky, just a deep gray heap.”
The traveller said difficulties with accumulators added to his weather problems. Almost three months after the start of his solo voyage across the Pacific, accumulators started discharging faster after hundreds of charge and recharge cycles. “I hope they will remain alive till the end of my voyage,” Fyodor said.
The expedition headquarters said Konyukhov’s boat was approaching New Zealand’s section in the Pacific Ocean. It established contacts with New Zealand’s coastal guard and transferred all information about the Turgoyak to the rescue centre in Wellington. New Zealand has one of the biggest sections in the south of the Pacific Ocean. Konyukhov has to cover around 600 miles to enter Australia’s section.
Konyukhov started his voyage in Chile’s Concon on December 22, 2013, planning to reach Brisbane on Australia’s eastern coast in 200 days. For 88 days in the Pacific the traveller’s boat has already covered 5.128 miles. To reach his final destination Konyukhov has to overcome another 3.052 miles.