Cross-Atlantic rowers reach destination

Jákup Jacobsen, Niklas Olsen, Jógvan Clementsen and New Zealander Isaac Giesen have as the first ever rowboat crew managed to row from Europe to Cuba.

On Saturday night, the crew of ‘Saga’ landed in Cuba after a gruelling 74-day trip across the Atlantic.

The crew reported being tired and hungry, but they were all happy after their long journey.

“We’re especially surprised to see what the human body is capable of when put under such immense pressure,” Jákup Jacobsen told KVF on Saturday night after they had moored their boat in the Barracoa harbour.

The crew will be spending the next few days in Cuba where the Danish-Cuban Association of Friendship has arranged a celebration event in Havana to honour the rowers.

They will then set off on the final leg of their journey, from Havana to Miami, Florida, a trip which expected to last two days. The crew will then have travelled a total of 13,000 kilometres.

One of the objectives of the expedition, which has been named ‘Row for water’, was to raise money for clean water drilling rigs in Somalia. The aim was to raise DKK 100,000, which would be enough to help 50,000 people.

So far, they have raised enough cash to build two rigs, but they are still some way off their DKK 100,000 target. Donations are still welcome. Visit rowforwater.org.

The crew are expecting to return to the Faroes in two weeks’ time.

Translated by prosa.fo.