Peter Bray
Encyclopedia
Peter Bray was, in 2001, the third person known to cross the Atlantic Ocean
alone in a kayak
(Franz Romer in 1928 and Hannes Lindemann in 1956 preceded him) but the first one to paddle west to east (i.e.: not riding favorable currents) and also the first one not using sails to help his paddling. He documented his expedition in the book Kayak Across the Altantic in 2004.
Bray is a Cornishman born in 1956. He was an outdoor pursuits instructor from Pencoed College
in Bridgend
.
He set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean
in a kayak
on June 23, 2001, from Newfoundland, Canada. After a 3000 miles (4,828 km) 76-day journey, he arrived on the West Coast of Ireland on Wednesday, September 5, 2001. The former member of the British Army's Special Air Service
Boat Trooper was aiming to raise £100,000 for two children's hospices. Bray's first attempt to cross the Atlantic in a kayak ended in failure in 2000 after he capsized and he spent more than 30 hours adrift in waters of the North Atlantic. Jason Rice designed the special kayak which made the historic crossing.
In 2004, Bray was part of the four-man team on the Pink Lady, who together attempted the fastest crossing from St. John's, NF, Canada
to Falmouth, England
. Just 370 miles short of their destination, he again failed when the boat was broken in two by Hurricane Alex
after 39 days at sea.
In June 2005 Pete Bray was awarded a bronze medal by the Royal Humane Society in recognition for his bravery in an Atlantic row.
Bray is considered to have saved the life of crewmate Jonathan Gornall after the row boat was hit a Force 11 storm and split in two during the 1,800-mile row from Newfoundland, Canada, to Falmouth.
Gornall said: ”We knew that bad weather was coming and we had battened down and made ourselves as ready as possible. This included putting on our survival suits. It was so hot, however, in the rear cabin that I unzipped my suit and pulled the rubber neck seal over my head. Very, very stupid. After a wave struck I fought my way out of the wreckage only to realise that instead of floating I was sinking. Just then Pete appeared, ordered me not to panic and supported me in the water as I did my best to get the sea out of my suit. I have no doubt Pete saved my life. He then went on to retrieve our liferaft, in the extremely difficult circumstances, which at the very least contributed to, if not ensured, our survival.”
Julian Spicer OBE from the Royal Humane Society commented, “Pete’s bravery in the face of danger was outstanding and his medal is extremely well deserved.”
Bray made a successful circumnavigation of South Georgia Island
in 2005, and is reportedly planning a crossing of the Bering Strait
between Alaska and Russia.
On July 8, 2009, Bray once again left St. John's, Newfoundland at 10:25 a.m. (local time) to paddle solo and unsupported across the North Atlantic Ocean, aiming to arrive in the Isles of Scilly, Great Britain
in 64 days or less to break the current record. This attempt also ended in failure on 19 August 2009 (Due to being in the path of Hurricane Bill
).
In 2011 Aleksander Doba
broke Peter's record of 76 days of longest open-water crossing ever undertaken by a kayaker by paddling 99 days and 6 hours from Dakar
in Africa
to Brazil
.
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
alone in a kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
(Franz Romer in 1928 and Hannes Lindemann in 1956 preceded him) but the first one to paddle west to east (i.e.: not riding favorable currents) and also the first one not using sails to help his paddling. He documented his expedition in the book Kayak Across the Altantic in 2004.
Bray is a Cornishman born in 1956. He was an outdoor pursuits instructor from Pencoed College
Pencoed College
Pencoed College was founded in 1925 to serve sons and daughters of farmers. Its main building is the old Tregroes House and was originally known as Pencoed College of Agriculture, Horticulture and Environmental Studies...
in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
.
He set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in a kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
on June 23, 2001, from Newfoundland, Canada. After a 3000 miles (4,828 km) 76-day journey, he arrived on the West Coast of Ireland on Wednesday, September 5, 2001. The former member of the British Army's Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
Boat Trooper was aiming to raise £100,000 for two children's hospices. Bray's first attempt to cross the Atlantic in a kayak ended in failure in 2000 after he capsized and he spent more than 30 hours adrift in waters of the North Atlantic. Jason Rice designed the special kayak which made the historic crossing.
In 2004, Bray was part of the four-man team on the Pink Lady, who together attempted the fastest crossing from St. John's, NF, Canada
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
to Falmouth, England
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
. Just 370 miles short of their destination, he again failed when the boat was broken in two by Hurricane Alex
Hurricane Alex (2004)
Hurricane Alex was the first named storm, the first hurricane, and the first major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The first storm of the season, Alex formed unusually late in the season; the fifth latest since 1954. It developed from the interaction between an upper-level low and...
after 39 days at sea.
In June 2005 Pete Bray was awarded a bronze medal by the Royal Humane Society in recognition for his bravery in an Atlantic row.
Bray is considered to have saved the life of crewmate Jonathan Gornall after the row boat was hit a Force 11 storm and split in two during the 1,800-mile row from Newfoundland, Canada, to Falmouth.
Gornall said: ”We knew that bad weather was coming and we had battened down and made ourselves as ready as possible. This included putting on our survival suits. It was so hot, however, in the rear cabin that I unzipped my suit and pulled the rubber neck seal over my head. Very, very stupid. After a wave struck I fought my way out of the wreckage only to realise that instead of floating I was sinking. Just then Pete appeared, ordered me not to panic and supported me in the water as I did my best to get the sea out of my suit. I have no doubt Pete saved my life. He then went on to retrieve our liferaft, in the extremely difficult circumstances, which at the very least contributed to, if not ensured, our survival.”
Julian Spicer OBE from the Royal Humane Society commented, “Pete’s bravery in the face of danger was outstanding and his medal is extremely well deserved.”
Bray made a successful circumnavigation of South Georgia Island
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, known as the South Sandwich...
in 2005, and is reportedly planning a crossing of the Bering Strait
Bering Strait
The Bering Strait , known to natives as Imakpik, is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, the easternmost point of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, USA, the westernmost point of the North American continent, with latitude of about 65°40'N,...
between Alaska and Russia.
On July 8, 2009, Bray once again left St. John's, Newfoundland at 10:25 a.m. (local time) to paddle solo and unsupported across the North Atlantic Ocean, aiming to arrive in the Isles of Scilly, Great Britain
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
in 64 days or less to break the current record. This attempt also ended in failure on 19 August 2009 (Due to being in the path of Hurricane Bill
Hurricane Bill (2009)
Hurricane Bill was a relatively large Atlantic tropical cyclone, attaining a maximum gale-diameter of 460 mi . A Cape Verde type hurricane, Bill originated from a tropical wave that emerged from the western coast of Africa on August 12, and organized into a tropical depression near the Cape...
).
In 2011 Aleksander Doba
Aleksander Doba
Aleksander Doba , lives in Police near Szczecin, Poland is the first person who sailed alone using only muscles power directly from continent to continent across the Atlantic ocean for 5394 kilometers in a 7 meter ocean kayak. Doba's effort is believed to be the longest open-water crossing ever...
broke Peter's record of 76 days of longest open-water crossing ever undertaken by a kayaker by paddling 99 days and 6 hours from Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.