ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS,  NJ —  Ukrainian solo rower, Theodore Rezvoy, will depart Atlantic Highlands via New York for Brest, France in his 27-foot rowing boat on or about June 27.  In making this crossing, Rezvoy will be the first to row solo across the Atlantic from New York. 

Two fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, George Harbo and Frank Samuelsen, were the first to row across the Atlantic Ocean from New York in 1896.

Rezvoy's team includes his father Pavel, also a rower, and program director Kenneth Crutchlow  from the Ocean Rowing Society.  They are putting the finishing touches on the boat in the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina.  Weather permitting, the trip will begin on or about June 27. Rezvoy, 35, lives in Odessa with his wife and young son.  This will be his second trans-Atlantic crossing.  In 2001, he rowed across the Atlantic from La Gomera, Canary Islands to Barbados in 67 days.  For more information on Rezvoy, visit www.oceanrowing.com.

photo Mikhail Kaliteevsky Ukrainian Theodore Rezvoy will attempt to be the first person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Rezvoy's boat, the Ukraine, is a modern ocean rowing vessel.  Equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communications electronics, Rezvoy will be in touch with his home base in London.  The boat is equipped with a water maker, solar panels, and a small cabin.  Rezvoy will carry a large supply of freeze-dried foods, including ice cream. 

Harbo and Samuelsen made their voyage on an 18-foot boat, the Fox.  The boat was named after Richard Fox, the editor of the New York tabloid newspaper, the Police Gazette, who provided the financial backing for the voyage.  Relying on additional stores of food and water supplied by passing clipper ships, Harbo and Samuelsen arrived at in England after 55 days at sea. 

At a recent exhibit at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York, the Ukraine was displayed together with a replica of the Fox.  The Fox replica was built by the Long Branch Ice Boating and Yacht Club under the supervision of the son of the original builder. Kemal Goksel, Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club member and marine electronics engineer,  is providing local technical support and coordinating the launch of the boat from the Atlantic Highlands Marina.

Many descendents of Frank Samuelsen still reside in the area: Grandsons Norman Samuelsen, Belford and  Spencer Samuelsen, Penn., Great-nieces Alicia Robertson, Atlantic Highlands and Sandy Henning, Rumson; and Great-nephews Eric Dender, Locust and Arthur Sorensen, Rumson.

Members of the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club, Bill and Alicia Robertson and Bob Wilson have been supporting this adventure by assisting with launching of the boat in the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor.  Another AHYC member Kemal Goksel, who is also a fellow rower, has volunteered to provide technical support for the ocean rowing event.  Kemal can be contacted by phone at 908-461-1248 (cell) and 732-291-4170 (home) or via email, k.goksel@verizon.net if you would like additional information.  Additional information can also be found in the AHYC website at www.ahyc.net.

Kemal Goksel of Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club presents a burgee to Theodore Rezvoy from the Ukraine, who is rowing solo across the Atlantic from New York.  Rezvoy's voyage follows the route of George Harbo and Frank Samuelsen, two fishermen from Atlantic Highlands, who were the first to row across the Atlantic in 1896.   Also on hand were (background: left to right) Dick Hauter, Dan Dowd, and Stan Nadler of the Long Branch Ice Boating and Yacht Club, who built a replica of the Fox, Harbo and Samuelsen's boat.