The British windsurfer believes it will take him two years to complete the 9,320-mile (15,000 kilometers) adventure in European waters. His planned route includes around 20 different countries. Dunnett, 43, kicked off his solo and unsupported journey at Grense Jacobselv, in Norway’s Barents Sea, on May 16, 2017. He expects to conclude his “Windsurf Round Europe” project near the Russia/Ukraine border, on the Black Sea, by May 2019.[more]
The intrepid windsurfer carries all he needs to sail and survive the elements – an emergency kit, gloves, hats, two dry bags with equipment, a paddle, “I will carry supplies to sail days at a time where necessary, and I will gratefully welcome support offered along the way,” explains Jono Dunnett. “I am estimating a minimum financial requirement of eur 500 per month, factoring in that people are generous and I will benefit from a few free meals along the way.”
The adversities are immense: cold, heat, nutrition issues, illness, injuries, landing difficulties, light and high winds, huge swells, currents, shipping, military zones, exhaustion, and political barriers. But Jono Dunnett is an experienced windsurfer. In 2015, he successfully completed a 2,200-mile (3,540 kilometers) circumnavigation of Britain in three months. This time, the sailor from Suffolk will ride a 2017 Starboard Phantom 377L windsurf board and a Severne Turbo GT 9.2 sail.
Dunnett needs your help – a place to secure the board and sail, food and water, and places to sleep are always welcome. He will also help raise funds for the World Wildlife Fund. “I have to admit this one is mad. My family is okay with it. They know they are not going to change my mind and I know what I’m doing. My mom was very worried last time but now she’s much more relaxed.”
If you want to know more about Jono, get the book “Long Standing Ambition.” Good luck, Jonathan Dunnett. See you in 2019.
