For their great adventure—crossing the Atlantic Ocean—they set sail on a gaff schooner, a 47-metre-long sailing ship with three masts. They set off on 11 February from the island of Antigua, located in the Caribbean (near Puerto Rico). Ahead of them lay an empty, vast ocean.
See where they set off from:
They did not spot the first ship on the horizon until three weeks after setting off. It was a merchant ship. As they approached the Azores, they were forced to stop for six days to replenish their supplies, as well as because of the terrible stormy weather.
On 29 March, they reached the port of Cascais, near Lisbon (Portugal), where this extraordinary sailing adventure came to an end.
See where they arrived:
See photos from this incredible adventure:
During the voyage, they experienced beautiful, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. But the ocean also showed its power. There were also difficult moments as they faced the forces of nature. During a storm, strong winds damaged the sail:
The schooner’s large sail was torn. It was damaged by strong winds during the storm.
—recalls Krzysztof Praczyk and adds:
Fortunately, we reached our destination safe and sound. We sailed from west to east. The beautiful views, the colours of the sky and that enormous number of stars—we had never seen so many before.
Now the sailors from Bolesławiec face a new challenge. They plan to sail around Cape Horn.