Bert terHart left Victoria, BC, on October 27, 2019, with the goal of emulating solo navigators who travelled half a century or more ago—without electronic charts, or GPS. Thus, he passed the five great southern capes going east using only a sextant, paper charts, pencil and log tables—a feat previously accomplished by eight single-handing sailors in the past, but none of them starting from North America.

He’s faced extreme weather, dwindling supplies and unexpected repairs that have extended his trip from six to nine months — and yet, he’s been dubbed “the safest person on the planet.”

Why? Because he’s traveling alone — and hasn’t seen another person since January, in Port Stanley in the Falklands, and before that on Nov. 6 in San Francisco — and floating far from civilization, the British Columbia resident presumably has no risk of contracting or transmitting the coronavirus disease, news of which emerged months into his journey.

There’s lots more in this fascinating episode, definitely worth listening to.

https://bertterhart.com/