Sailor, artist and adventurer Reid Stowe and his wife Laurence Guillem plan to embark on a 1,000-day nonstop voyage in November. After departing Pier 63 on West 23rd Street in New York, the two will attempt to stay out of sight of land and not call on any ports. They will not resupply or refuel their 70-foot schooner, Anne, until they return to shore in 1,000 days, almost three years later. If they are successful, Stowe and Guillem will have been at sea longer than any of their predecessors.
Aboard Anne, a 60-ton gaff-rigged schooner, Stowe and Guillem plan to grow sprouts and collect rainwater. The boat will be provisioned with as many essentials as they are able to carry aboard the craft for their epic journey. They will eat mostly nuts, oats and dried fruit. They also plan to carry bags of dirt as a andquot;gesture of respect for Mother Earth.andquot;
According to Stowe, andquot;The goal is to sail the longest nonstop voyage in history while extending the limits of mankind and promoting a global message of peace, inspiration, perseverance and sustainability.andquot;
Stowe built the schooner, which he named for his mother, in 1972 and has lived aboard the boat ever since. He is uniquely qualified for the voyage, having spent extended periods of time at sea sailing the worldand#39;s oceans. The boat is being refit with the help of corporate and private sponsorship.
