Stein Hoff  (Norway)

Trans-Atlantic Rowing from USA to Europe 2016

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An Introduction (May 2015)

 The project is to row alone, non-stop, without accompanying vessel or other forms of physical assistance from Battery Park, Manhatten, New York to Hugh Town, St Mary, Isles of Scilly, UK, starting Sunday 15th May 2016. Position at start is 40°42’N, 74°01’W, at the finish 49°55’N, 06’19W. In between is the open North Atlantic ocean, the distance travelled will be between 2500 and 3000 nautical miles, i.e. between 4600 and 5500 kilometer or 2900 and 3500 miles. Estimated time will be approximately 90 days.The reason for choosing this particular route is to copy and commemorate the achievement of the two Norwegian-American seamen and fishermen Georg Harbo and Gabriel ("Frank") Samuelsen, in 1896. They took 55 days and became the first people ever to row across a major ocean. It was a huge achievement. Harbo and Samuelsen flew the American flag on their 18 foot open dory named «Fox» after Editor Richard K. Fox of the New York newspaper «National Police Gazette». He offered a gold medal and a large sum of money if they succeeded.

After a strenuous trip, they arrived in Europe about the same time as the Norwegian explorer Fritjof Nansen reappeared after nearly three years in the Arctic. The media were mainly interested in Nansen’s expedition, and the rowers did not get the fame and the income that they had hoped for in their home country. Having rowed under the American flag probably made them appear less like genuine Norwegians. They did put themselves and their boat on show in Norway, and also appeared ina circus in Paris and London. This gave them some income, but the prize money offered by editor Fox and the «National Police Gazette» was never paid.Harbo’s original name was Gottleb Harbo Ragnhildrød. He was born 14th Sept 1864 in Sandar near Sandefjord (where I have grown up, incidentally), but moved with his parents south-west to Brevik in the late 1870’s. He went to sea early and emigrated to USA 19 years old. He married Anine from Brevik, they had two children in 1896. He died in USA in 1908 of pneumonia, only 44 years old. He left many children. His wife died a few years later. Samuelsen (born in Farsund 26th Feb. 1870) was 26and single in 1896. He later in life returned to his home town of Farsund when he inherited a farm. He had only one son who died at sea in USA, but also two grand-sons. Samuelsen died in 1946, 76 years old. The Seamen’s Association in Farsund has a small exhibition about him, including his sailor’s chest and medals from the rowing trip. Kåre Rudjord (born 1935), teacher and author in Farsund remembers the celebrated Samuelsen from his childhood, and wrote the book “Atlanterhavsroerene» (The Atlantic Rowers) in 1988. (It is not translated to English.)

 It took 70 years before anyone else undertook a similar trip and thereby started modern ocean rowing. In 1966, British Chay Bligh and John Ridgeway used 92 days to row from Cape Cod, USA to Kilronan, Ireland. They describe their trip in the book “A Fighting Chance” (1966) as an almost non-stop nightmare! But no Norwegian has so far rowed this stretch of the Atlantic, and I would like to be the first to do so, at the same time creating interest in Harbo and Samuelsen’s great achievement 120 years earlier.

 My Qualifications

 I have already rowed twice across the Atlantic Ocean: First in 1997 in 22’ long “Star Atlantic” with Arvid Bentsen, from Tenerife to Barbados in 69 days, as part of Atlantic Rowing Race, the first rowing regatta across an ocean. Organizer was Sir Chay Bligh, who after his row in 1966 had become a famous sailor. 30 boats of the same design with two rowers in each started. 24 finished, plus two that finished with one person aboard. The others either returned or were picked up. (This race was originally meant to be in 1996 to celebrate the centenary of Harbo and Samuelsen’s row, but was delayed by one year.) Secondly I have rowed alone, non-stop and unsupported in 2002 in “Star Atlantic II” from Lisbon, Portugal to Parika (near Georgetown) in Guyana in 97 days, the first row from the continent of Europe to the continent of South America.
I have sailed (and worked as a doctor) around the world with my Scottish wife Diana and two, later three, children in our 39’ yacht «Red Admiral» 1977-1982 (and wrote two books about the trip) and have also sailed several times across the Atlantic later, most recently summer 2014 from the Bahamas to Norway in our 42’ catamaran “White Admiral”. (Many travel reports and pictures can be found in our blog www.whiteadmiral.com .)I am an old competitive rower, being a Senior Scottish Champion back in the days when I studied medicine in Glasgow (1964-70), also Senior Norwegian Champion in the 1970’s. I am still active as a veteran rower and have many victories in Norway and abroad, mostly in single- and double-sculls, as well as indoor on Concept II rowing machine.
In the past my wife and I took part regularly in triathlon and running. We have taken part in many half and whole marathons, including New York Marathon. The last long run for us both was the 20 years jubilee of the Sahara Marathon (Marathon des Sable) in Morocco in 2005. This is about 240 km over 6days. (I am the first Norwegian to have taken part in this event.) The last ten years I have done more cycling and taken part in the 92 km off-road bike race Birkebeinerrittet ten times, the 11th being planned on my 70th birthday, 29.august this year. My daughter Elisabeth (born 1972, lives in London) tried to row alone from Tenerife to Barbados January 1999, but capsized near Cape Verde islands and had to be rescued after10 days at sea. The boat “Star Atlantic” was lost, but we built a new boat (“Star Atlantic II”) which Diana rowed successfully to became the second woman to row solo across an ocean.

Other Activities

I have written a book «The Galapagos Dream» and made a TV series for NRK (Norwegian TV) about Norwegian emigration to Galapagos in the 1920s and 30s.I have written a children’s book and made another TV series for NRK on the children of Pitcairn. In addition I have written many articles and given lectures on sailing and rowing topics, including at the Norwegian Maritime Museum in Oslo, where the rowing boat “Star Atlantic II” was on show for three months after Diana’s solo row in 2000 and again after my row in 2003.

Personal

I was born in 1945 and will have passed 70 when I leave New York, but I am in good shape and excellent health, like to train and have every chance of succeeding. My age can also be an interesting additional challenge. Professionally I have been a medical doctor since 1970 and have specialized in Internal Medicine. Although I am now at retirement age I still work two days a week at the Cardiology out-patient clinic I was born in 1945 and will have passed 70 when I leave New York, but I am in good shape and excellent health, like to train and have every chance of succeeding. My age can also be an interesting additional challenge. Professionally I have been a medical doctor since 1970 and have specialized in Internal Medicine. Although I am now at retirement age I still work two days a week at the Cardiology out-patient clinic

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