Russian Adventurer Fjodor Konjuchow Completes Historic South Atlantic Crossing
Russian writer and adventurer Fjodor Konjuchow has made history by becoming the first person to cross the South Atlantic in a rowing boat. On the night of February 11, 2025, he navigated his boat, “Akros” past the “Needle’s Cape” in South Africa and into the Indian Ocean. The approximately 4,000 nautical-mile journey took Konjuchow nearly 70 days to complete, with daily rowing sessions of up to 15 hours. The route took him through the notorious “roaring forties” and “furious fifties” regions, known for their extreme weather conditions, making the journey even more challenging for modern ships with powerful engines.
The nine-meter-long “Akros” was designed by British designer Phil Morrison specifically for Konjuchow. The boat is equipped with modern navigation instruments, communication equipment and a cozy cabin with a heated sleeping area. Before the expedition, the ship was modernized in a United Arab Emirates shipyard, stocked with 100 kilograms of freeze-dried food for a daily caloric intake of 5,000 kilocalories, as well as water desalination equipment, satellite communication devices and solar panels, according to media reports.
On the Realnoje Wremja portal, Konjuchow’s physically extreme journey, which often took place under extreme conditions, is described in the following passage:
“The journey began on December 5, 2024, in the Drake Passage off the coast of South America. This leg of the journey was the second phase of Konjuchow’s Southern Ocean circumnavigation. The first stage was completed in 2019, when he sailed from New Zealand to Cape Horn in 154 days. Now, Fjodor is on his way to Cape Leeuwin in Australia, with approximately 4,200 nautical miles still to be covered. The total duration of the current leg of the journey is estimated to be around 200 days.”
If all goes according to plan, this expedition will be another triumph in Konjuchow’s career, which has already earned him a legendary status, according to the authors of the Men Today portal. There, it is written:
“Fjodor Konjuchow – this name is not only well-known in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. He has undertaken five world journeys and, in 2016, set two world records by flying around the world in a hot air balloon on the first attempt. Additionally, he is the first Russian to have conquered the highest peaks of all seven continents and reached the South and North Poles alone. In total, 27 world records are on Konjuchow’s account, including five Guinness World Records. And even though the journey to Australia is not yet complete, it can already be said that it will go down in history.