In December of 2008, at the age of 58, Leo Rosette will launch from the Canary Islands and embark on a three thousand mile journey across the Atlantic to Antigua. While his boat, "Halcyon", will be equipped with the latest in navigational and communication technology, the propulsion will be coming from a simple pair of oars, and Leo's arms, legs, and back. To date, only 4 Americans have successfully attempted this feat. Upon completion of his journey, Leo will become the oldest American to cross any ocean.
Leo is a retired US Marshal. He currently lives in Marshfield and was raised in East Boston and Quincy Massachusetts . He began rowing at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy where he slept aboard ship since they had no dormitories at that time. Before becoming a US Marshal he spent a year at sea with Mass Maritime and also worked on a scallop boat. For the past 20 years he has rowed on the flat water of the Charles River out of Riverside Boat Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
At Riverside, Leo is known as the "vampire rower" as he frequentaly starts and sometimes ends his rows before sunrise.
Why attempt the crossing? In Leo's own words:
"When I was at Mass. Maritime we raced Kings Point, Maine Maritime, and other Maritime Academies. We raced in life boats, a great big heavy whale boat, I loved it. All you had to worry about was getting the oars into the water and pulling, no feathering of oars or any of the other finer points of rowing . Later when I was in the service I heard about a guy who rowed the Atlantic Ocean in a similar boat. Since then, I have always wanted to do it. Now that I'm retired, I have the time and this opportunity won't last long, so we're off. Since I don't think my scull would make it, I need a bigger boat, just like 39 years ago."
Interesting Factoids:
- The boat Will be build by Woodvale
- The name of Leo's boat, "Halcyon," comes from Greek Mythology. Halcyon is a bird that has the ability to calm the seas and the wind. Thats where the saying the Halcyon Days of Summer comes from (calm and peaceful).
- The journey is slated to begin in the last week of December 2008
- The distance travelled should be about three thousand miles, give or take a few due to atmospheric conditions, currents, and navigational abilities.
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