A sailor who has navigated the Northwest Passage, fended off polar bears and survived Hurricane Gonzalo has said he is looking forward to a pint and a rest after entering Irish waters.
Canadian Erkan Gursoy, 67, appears to be making little headway about 483km off the west coast after pushing through the Atlantic storms, prompting concerns.
The boat builder and former teacher was making progress at only three knots in heavy seas in his 11m ocean-going yacht Altan Girl, despite being in 50-knot winds.
Coast Guard officers monitoring his progress from the Malin Head station in Co Donegal called in an Air Corps crew to try to make contact.
"He contacted us when the weather was very poor. We were tracking the storms and passed on the forecasts so he could alter his course," a Coast Guard spokesman said.
"He's not in any difficulty but he went through a rough couple of days."
Gursoy, from Nanaimo, Vancouver, had sailed single-handed over the top of Canada, past Greenland and into the Atlantic before reaching Irish waters.
Authorities said they will continue to track his progress until he reaches shore in Dingle, Co Kerry, where he told the Air Corps crew he is planning to have a rest, enjoy a pint and learn about WB Yeats and James Joyce.
RTÉ News
