Russian traveler Fedor Konyukhov crossed the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat. Fyodor Konyukhov. across the pacific ocean on a rowing boat konyukhov pacific ocean

Fedor Konyukhov - the first "professional traveler" in the USSR and Russia, captain long-distance navigation, pilot of a free balloon, dog sled rider, climber, writer, priest of the UOC-MP. Among the achievements of Konyukhov are five round the world expeditions, 17 crossings of the Atlantic Ocean on sailing yachts and once on a rowboat.

Fedor Konyukhov was born on December 12, 1951 in the village of Chkalovo, Zaporozhye region. The childhood of the future traveler passed on the shores of the Sea of Azov. Father Philip Mikhailovich often went to the sea for fish, took his son with him. Grandfather Mikhail often shared with his grandson the knowledge that he had learned from communicating with the famous Russian polar explorer. With him, Mikhail had a chance to serve in the same garrison tsarist army. The polar explorer left Konyukhov his own pectoral cross, so that the strongest of his friend’s descendants would get it. The grandfather gave this cross to Fedor.

Even then, the boy had a craving for travel, when Fedor stood at the helm of his father's ship and peered into the sea. At the age of 15, the young man ventured to make his first journey and crossed the Sea of Azov in a rowboat. True, before that, Fedor had to actively engage in rowing, master sailing.

Like any teenager, Fedor enjoyed playing football. Like any village boy, Konyukhov often slept in the hayloft, and also drunkenly read adventure novels by Jules Verne and other authors. By the end of school, the young man realized that he wanted to connect life with the sea.

Fedor entered the Odessa Seafarer and received the specialty of a ship mechanic. Then there was study at the polar school in Leningrad as a navigator-navigator, service in the Baltic Fleet. For 2 years, Fedor Konyukhov served in Vietnam as a sailor on a special ship supplying ammunition to the Viet Cong. During his service, he also traveled to Nicaragua and El Salvador. After returning to his homeland, Konyukhov did not leave his studies and received the specialty of a carver-encruster in a specialized school in the Belarusian city of Bobruisk.

Trips

The first serious expedition took place in 1977, when a young man sailed in the Pacific Ocean and repeated the route. The first was followed by expeditions to Kamchatka, Sakhalin.

Fedor Konyukhov set a new goal - to conquer North Pole by oneself.

Konyukhov prepared for an expedition in Chukotka, mastered dog sledding, learned to build ice huts, developed other skills for extreme travel - it took several years. Initially, Konyukhov undertook a training trip to the Pole of relative inaccessibility. The traveler complicated his task by going skiing during polar night.

Then Fedor traveled to Canada, to Baffin Island and to the North Pole itself as part of a Soviet-Canadian group led by Vladimir Chukov. In 1990, Konyukhov set off on skis, with a heavy backpack and equipment, and after 72 days reached the North Pole. Overcoming polynyas and hummocks along the way, Fedor almost died during a collision of ice floes. Konyukhov became a pioneer in a solo trip there. In 1995, Fedor Konyukhov conquered the South Pole, and 59 days later, the flag of Russia was already fluttering over the extreme southern point.

There were other routes in the traveler's biography. Fedor became the first Russian to complete the Grand Slam program, that is, to conquer the North, South Pole and Everest. Earlier, in 1992, he climbed Everest alone, in January 1996 - Mount Aconcagua, and in 1997 - Mount Kilimanjaro.

Among the expeditions in which Fedor Konyukhov participated are the Soviet-American bike ride across the USSR Nakhodka - Moscow - Leningrad in 1989, the Russian-Australian off-road rally Nakhodka - Moscow in 1991, the caravan expedition along the route of the Great Silk Road in 2002 and 2009. Fedor Konyukhov also makes overland expeditions, following the path of the famous explorers of the taiga.

During his life, Konyukhov made a total of 40 sea expeditions. Not everything went smoothly during these trips. In addition to the troubles created by the elements, Fedor Konyukhov received unpleasant surprises from people. During one voyage Konyukhov caught a tropical infection and was forced to stop in the Philippines. Local pirates took advantage of the forced parking of Konyukhov's yacht and stole it. After recovering, in order to find his own ship in the sea latitudes, Fedor took possession of the robber's yacht and caught up with his own.

In July 2016, Fedor Konyukhov set a new record, hot-air balloon for 11 days. The Russian traveler beat the previous record holder Steve Fossett by 2 days.

While traveling, Fedor Konyukhov is engaged in research work and creativity: paints pictures and books. In total, the traveler created almost 3 thousand paintings, published twenty books. In his own works “My Journeys”, “Under Scarlet Sails”, “Alone with the Ocean”, “How I Became a Traveler”, Fedor Konyukhov shares his life experience, travel events. The author also has historical works: “ Crimean War. Defense of Sevastopol”, “Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov”, “How Admiral Ushakov made the Black Sea Russian”. In the books “My Way to Truth”, “The Power of Faith. 160 days and nights alone with the Pacific Ocean”, “The ocean is my abode” Konyukhov highlights issues of faith. The traveler introduces readers to his works from the pages of the official website, where he also posts photos of his own paintings.

Fedor Konyukhov is an active member of the Union of Journalists, the Union of Artists and Sculptors, the Union of Writers of Russia. With his drawings, Konyukhov adorned the publication of the book "Tao Te Ching", which he considers to be the second after the "Bible".

In addition to the main business of life, serving in the Orthodox Church became an important page in Fedor's biography. Konyukhov took the rank of subdeacon in 2010 on a holiday, the patron saint of travelers and sailors. After graduating from the Seminary in the Northern capital, Konyukhov went to serve in Zaporozhye, leaving no sea, land and air travel.

Personal life

Fedor Konyukhov was married twice. The first wife, Lyubov, gave Fedor two children - a son, Oscar (born in 1975) and a daughter, Tatyana (born in 1978). Later, the woman moved to the United States, where she settled with her daughter. Konyukhov's eldest son heads the All-Russian Sailing Federation.

The second wife of the famous traveler is Professor, Doctor of Law, expert in international law Irina Anatolyevna. The future spouses met in 1995. Irina was also divorced by that time, raising two sons. Fedor honestly warned the girl about his hobby, but this did not frighten Irina. For the sake of her beloved, Irina Anatolyevna refused to work in the UN and the European Parliament.

Often the wife herself went on trips with her husband. In 2004, while crossing the Atlantic, the ship, where Fedor and Irina were, got into a severe storm. After returning home, the Konyukhovs erected a chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker near the Moscow creative workshop of Fyodor. For a long time, the couple did not have a common child, but in 2005 the long-awaited son Nikolai was born.

Now Fedor Konyukhov is a happy grandfather who has four grandchildren - Philip, Arkady, Ethan, Blake and two granddaughters - Polina and Kate, but this does not prevent him from doing what he loves.

Traveler, artist, writer, cyclist, mountaineer, navigator - it's all about Konyukhov. Since 1998, the navigator has been sharing his experience with young followers and is in charge of the laboratory distance learning. In the laboratory, he teaches young travelers how to survive in difficult conditions.

Fedor Konyukhov now

Fedor Konyukhov continues to break records. The latest hobby for the traveler was aeronautics in a balloon. In 2017, Fedor, having been in the air for 55 hours 10 minutes of continuous time. The previous record of 50 hours 38 minutes was held by Japanese pilots Michio Kanda and Hirazuki Takezawa, who set it in 1997.

The indefatigable traveler will not stop there. For summer rafting on the rivers, Konyukhov has already chosen a place in the Sheregesh resort in Kemerovo region, where I managed to visit in January 2018 with my family.

Awards

1996 - Honorary resident of the city of Nakhodka
1988 - Order of Friendship of Peoples
2014 - Gold medal named after N. N. Miklukho-Maklay of the Russian Geographical Society
2015 - Peoples' Friendship Award "White Cranes of Russia" and the order of the same name
2017 - Order of Honor

Records

The first person in the world who reached the five poles of the Earth: the North and South geographic poles, the Pole of relative inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, the height poles - Chomolungma, the poles of yachtsmen - Cape Horn
The first Russian who managed to complete the Grand Slam program (North Pole, South Pole, Cape Horn, Chomolungma).
Crossed the Atlantic Ocean alone in a rowboat with a world record of 46 days 4 hours.
Crossed the Pacific Ocean alone in a rowboat with a world record of 159 days 14 hours 45 minutes.

MULULABA /Australia/, 31 May. /Special corr. ITAR-TASS Pavel Vanichkin/. Russian traveler Fedor Konyukhov reached the coast of Australia. Thus, he managed to cross alone in a rowboat without calls to ports and outside help. The next project of the Russian traveler will be a balloon flight around the Earth...

From Chile to Australia

Konyukhov started on December 22, 2013 from the port of Concon (Chile) at 09:15 am Chilean time, covered over 17 thousand km on a boat called "Turgoyak" and finished in the town of Mululaba (Queensland) at 13:13 ET coast of Australia. "Turgoyak" has a length of 9 meters, a width of 1.8 meters, the weight of its hull made of carbon fiber is 250 kg, the weight with a full load is 850 kg.

According to the International Society of Ocean Rowers from London, Konyukhov completed the journey in 160 days. According to the society, the best achievement crossing the Pacific Ocean on a single rowboat in its southern half was 273 days.

This result was shown by the English 52-year-old rower Jim Shekdar, who started on June 29, 2000 from the Peruvian port of Ilo. Jim also raced and finished on March 30, 2001 at North Stradbroke Island.

Konyukhov originally planned to cross the Pacific Ocean in 200 days and nights. It was reported that in order to cross the ocean, the traveler had to make 4 million strokes.

Flight around the earth

"The earth is not yet very solid," said Konyukhov, who stepped ashore, to the correspondent. ITAR-TASS. His very first steps were indeed a little hesitant, but in just a few moments he was already able to walk unaided.

After the triumphant finish, answering a question about plans for the future, Konyukhov said that he had planned to make a non-stop flight around the Earth in a balloon. He intends to start in Australia, fly from west to east approximately along the 40th latitude and finish again in Australia. However, the traveler categorically refused to say when this might happen. “I have been traveling for more than 40 years,” Konyukhov recalled. “I used to do it mainly for scientific purposes and for sporting interests, but now I am thinking about the younger generation, to whom I want to instill the spirit of romance. I want people to dream more.”

Answering the question of corr. ITAR-TASS, about the difficulties during the journey, Konyukhov said: "At first it was difficult, and then even more difficult." “The main difficulty of this kind of test lies in its monotony,” the traveler continued the story. “Every day I tried to row for 18 hours, slept for 20-25 minutes, but not more than two and a half hours a day. I walked with God's help - all the biggest hurricanes passed by me, the boat never capsized, I was helped by fair currents.

With a happy ending

He sent a greeting to Konyukhov, which was read out by the Russian Ambassador to Australia, Vladimir Morozov, who took part in the meeting of the Russian traveler in the city of Mululaba. About five hundred people gathered to meet the famous Russian traveler on the beach of the city - his friends, local residents, visiting tourists, journalists.

“I am glad to congratulate you on the successful completion of the expedition “On a rowboat across the Pacific Ocean,” the President’s greeting reads. “This unique trip was closely followed by your colleagues, scientists and experts, members of the Russian Geographical Society, and maritime enthusiasts from many countries. Thanks to courage and perseverance, extraordinary human and professional qualities, you have withstood difficult trials, conquered the water element."

"Today we can say with confidence that the first ever solo rowing boat trip from the coast of Chile to Australia was successful. And you continued the wonderful traditions of the great Russian explorers and travelers who made a great contribution to the study of the oceans. I wish you all the best and the fulfillment of new plans," the president said in a greeting.

The 63-year-old priest of the Russian Orthodox Church is the first person in the world who managed to reach the five poles of our planet: the North (three times), the South, the Pole of relative inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, Everest (the pole of altitude) and Cape Horn (the pole of yachtsmen). Konyukhov became the first Russian who managed to complete the Seven Summits of the World program - to climb the highest peak of each continent. He managed to cross now two oceans in a rowboat. In 2002, he single-handedly crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a URALAZ rowboat, setting 3,000 nautical miles in 46 days.

About two-thirds of the 5,500 nautical miles (or 9,000 kilometers) route in the ocean has already been covered by the brave Russian traveler in a single rowboat. He expects to sail to Cape Horn by the end of February.

BAD NEWS FOR ENVIRONMENTALISTS

Tests by storms, weather, physical fatigue - this is only one side of the hardships of circumnavigating the world. It is no less (or even more) difficult to pass the test of loneliness. During the first month and a half of the journey, dolphins swam to the boat only once:

"Big flock. I was very pleased and amused. They circled under the boat for a long time, studied. They must have wondered what the man was doing here.”, - describes Konyukhov. - In general, the ocean is empty, there are no whales, no dolphins, I rarely even see albatrosses. If you remove the daily satellite phone call to Moscow from my schedule, you might think that there is only Ocean and me. No one else. Where are the seven billion people?

Konyukhov has bad news for ecologists: this is his sixth campaign in the southern latitudes since 1990, and each time the traveler sees less and less representatives of the fauna. Worries: “Over these 30 years, we have devastated the ocean, eaten and exterminated all life. I think I have the right to say so. I have accurate observations. When you go on a yacht or rowing boat, you see all the details, you notice all the little things. You cannot make such an observation from aboard a research ship.”

A huge ocean lies ahead big ocean on the planet - Quiet. Let him give Fedor a warm welcome.
You can follow the traveler's route in real time.

Help "SV"

1990-91 - circumnavigation on the yacht "Karaana" (Sydney - Sydney, Australia)
1998-99 - round-the-world race "Around Alone" on the yacht "SGU" (USA - South Africa - New Zealand- Cape Horn - Uruguay - USA)
2005 - circumnavigation on the yacht "Scarlet Sails" England - Tasmania - Cape Horn - England.
2008 - sailing around Antarctica (Albany - Albany, Australia)
2009 - sailing of the yacht "Scarlet Sails" from New Zealand (Auckland) to the Falkland Islands.

On December 22, 2013, a rowing single boat left the Chilean port of Concon into the open ocean. The end point of the route was the Australian city of Mululaba. There was only one crew member on board the boat - Fedor Konyukhov.

On December 12, 2012, on his birthday - he is now 62 - the traveler announced his intention to cross the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat without calling at ports and without escort. It happened in England, where Konyukhov flew to approve the final version of the boat under the working name "K9". By decision of Konyukhov, this boat retained the classic design and shape of his previous URALAZ boat, on which he crossed the Atlantic in 2002 in 46 days.

The boat was made from carbon fibre. Hull - 9 meters long and 1.6 meters wide, divided into 5 watertight bulkheads. It is indicative that all the builders of "K9" and professional seafarers themselves have experience of single sea crossings on oars. In particular, the chief construction manager, Englishman Charlie Pitcher, twice crossed the Atlantic Ocean alone in a rowboat. Among the creators there are rowers who crossed the Indian Ocean on oars.

However, the Pacific Ocean is incorrect to compare with others. “The Atlantic is a route of 3,000 miles that can be covered in one season,” Konyukhov explains. “The Pacific Ocean in the section of Chile - the east coast of Australia has a route length of 9,000 nautical miles. It is clear that I will not fit in one season I plan to start in the summer (December at southern hemisphere), and finish in late autumn, I can’t avoid storms on the way to Australia. The boat must withstand colossal loads, and I will need the most modern technologies, the latest developments in ocean rowing projects. That's why I invited active ocean rowers to the project."

Later, the boat instead of the faceless "K9" was named "Turgoyak".

Turgoyak is a large fresh lake in Chelyabinsk region near the city of Miass. Very picturesque. In addition to its beauty, it is famous for the fact that in the summer it hosts all-Russian regattas for the Konyukhov Cup. Here - the house-museum of the traveler. As the organizers of the regatta remind, it is on this lake that he recovers after difficult expeditions and draws inspiration for his new projects.

But the most meticulous admirers of the traveler's exploits, who will try to figure out the etymology of the name of the boat, I'm afraid, will have to abandon the idea. Mission Impossible. The fact is that the origin of the term Turgoyak is not entirely obvious even to local historians. Presumably, the word is from the Bashkir language, but there is no convincing interpretation of the toponym. There are many translation options, one more ridiculous than the other: from "Stop leg" to "Big chicken". There is also a romantic version: the lake got its name from an old legend about the love of a young man Tura and a girl Goyak.

Whatever it was, but "Turgoyak" has already entered the history of the most incredible journeys. “The first ever solo rowing boat trip from the coast of Chile to Australia was a success,” President Putin stated in a congratulatory telegram to Konyukhov. “You have continued the wonderful traditions of the great Russian explorers and travelers who have made a great contribution to the study of the oceans.”

The conquest of the elements, as always, was hard. The route across the Pacific Ocean ran in the corridor of 30-35 degrees South latitude, and in these latitudes Fedor had to go around the islands of Robinson Crusoe, Easter, Pitcairn and others. Having passed the first half of the journey (4000 miles), the boat entered the zone of atolls, many of which are still not marked on the map. In this part of the ocean, shipping is weak and in case of an emergency, help can be expected for a week or more, unlike the Atlantic Ocean, where, according to statistics, help for yachtsmen arrives within a day. “The main difficulty of this kind of test lies in its monotony,” Konyukhov admitted. “Every day I tried to row for 18 hours, slept for 20-25 minutes, but not more than 2.5 hours a day. I was not thrown onto islands or reefs, I avoided collisions with ships, did not receive any injuries, and, of course, my approach to the coast of Australia in perfect weather and a safe landing are all thanks to prayers.

The motive for record swimming is not so much science and sports interest. In any case, Konyukhov himself claims so. The record is for the sake of the younger generation, to whom he wants to instill the spirit of romance.

"I travel to make people dream more," says the traveler. Adding that his next goal is to fly around the Earth in a hot air balloon.

Konyukhov crossed the Pacific Ocean in a single rowboat in 160 days with a plan of 200 days. The previous best achievement was 273 days. This result was shown by 52-year-old Englishman Jim Shekdar.

Dossier "RG"

Fedor Konyukhov was born in 1951 in Ukraine, on the shores of the Sea of Azov, in the village of Chkalovo. Navigator by profession (Odessa Naval School and Leningrad Arctic School), artist and sculptor (Bobruisk Art School), honorary academician Russian Academy arts, the author of 3 thousand paintings. Member of the Union of Writers of the Russian Federation, author of 12 books.

Made 4 round-the-world voyages. The first person in the world to reach 5 poles: the North Geographic (three times), the South Geographic, the Pole of Relative Inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, Everest (Pole of Height) and the Pole of Yachtsmen Cape Horn. The first Russian citizen to climb the 7 Summits of the World.

In 2010, he was ordained a deacon and received the priesthood at St. Nicholas Church in Zaporozhye.

He has a large family: a wife, two sons and a daughter, four grandchildren and two granddaughters.

You have to row 11-12 hours a day to meet the appointed 200 days.

Konyukhov crossed the Atlantic 15 times and made 4 world travel. Now, according to him, the time has come for a new world record.

In the ocean - on a nine-meter boat

The journey will begin in the Chilean port of Valparaiso and end on the east coast of Australia. In a little over a month, Konyukhov will go to latin america from where it starts sailing. Especially for the navigator, the Turgoyak boat, nine meters long, was created, it is almost three meters longer than the previous unique URALAZ design, on which Konyukhov crossed the Atlantic. The new boat is no heavier than the previous one: the boat is made of carbon fiber.

Konyukhov has just conquered the Atlantic Ocean on a boat, which is now stored in the South Urals, in the school of young travelers, open navigator. Photo: From the personal archive of Fedor Konyukhov

“Of course, it is very difficult to row 11-12 hours a day,” says Fedor. “Scientists have long calculated that no one can count to a million. Maybe he can, but not at once: for a week, a month. And I have to count up to 4 million: about as many rowing strokes I will have to do during the trip, even more.

The boat is designed specifically for Konyukhov. This is the first copy in the world, on which Fedor will try to cross the Pacific Ocean alone. Photo: From the personal archive of Fedor Konyukhov

According to Konyukhov, no one knows what surprises will await him in the ocean. From the experience of past voyages, he knows that in about a month his boat will be overgrown with small shells that will interfere with its progress. The sides will need to be cleaned of growths, especially for this, the sailor has a wetsuit and a scraper, but it is still unclear what to do with sharks that can smell a person from many kilometers away.

Konyukhov always personally controls the process of manufacturing boats. And this time the traveler will meet his boat at customs. Photo: From the personal archive of Fedor Konyukhov

The traveler will sleep tied to the boat, but dangers lurk here, for example, possible storms and hurricanes. Konyukhov will have to think about safety at night too.

“I always go to bed after twelve, then I get up and pray from two to four, and I wake up completely at six in the morning,” says the navigator. - I'm not used to this regime. Of course, I don't know what other dangers may come along the way. For example, on one expedition we saw a giant octopus with tentacles 36 meters long.”

Fedor Konyukhov gets up at six in the morning and goes to bed after twelve. From two to four in the morning he gets up for a prayer service. Photo: From the personal archive of Fedor Konyukhov

"Eat to row"

“In order to row 11 hours a day, you need to consume 6,000 calories of food. To do this, I need to eat 3 packs of special food every day - it tastes very nasty. It's nothing at first, and then it gets very annoying. I don’t even have a stove, but only a special mug with a gas cylinder in which you can boil water, because the boat is thrown a lot. I will take a fishing rod, but it will not be possible to fish everywhere, but only where there is a current and plankton, for months there will be no such opportunity, but sharks will accompany me all the way, ”says Konyukhov.

Chocolate chips and second. The traveler will eat such food for 200 days. Photo: AiF / Nadezhda Uvarova

Fedor showed special nutrition, which was specially developed for him by the creators of products for astronauts. Hermetically sealed snacks and bolognese are boring, if you take 600 packs of such food, the boat will not withstand the load. Because Konyukhov will load 450 packages into the boat.

“I will walk on the thirtieth degree,” says the traveler. - Past Tahiti, Robinson Crusoe, Easter, Pitcairn and Australia. That is, from continent to continent. That's 9,000 miles, I'll walk 54 miles a day. When I was walking across the Atlantic, I had a record of 84 miles. "URALAZ" empty weighed 250 kg. The boat is now longer, 9 meters, but weighs the same, it is built using new technologies. For one stroke, I have to go 4 meters. Computers have calculated that I have to walk 100 km a day. Sometime I will go more, sometime less. To set a daily world record, I need to walk one hundred miles in one day.

Fedor Konyukhov shows his colleagues on the map at what latitude he plans to lay his route. Photo: From the personal archive of Fedor Konyukhov

"I Prepare Spiritually"

According to the traveler, it is physically impossible to train: if you go rowing into the ocean in Chile, it will be very difficult to return back: there are very powerful currents. He believes that a person should train spiritually, and not physically.

It is very difficult not only to sail on a rowing boat, when the water is constantly overflowing and its level is only thirty centimeters below the edge of the ship's side, but also to be alone. Fedor takes church hymns and music of different genres with him: you never know what preferences will be on the way: “Although you are not alone in the ocean: there are dolphins, whales, and other inhabitants.”

Fedor and at home, during the rest, does not part with the map. Photo: From the personal archive of Fedor Konyukhov

According to the traveler, of all the water bodies of the planet, the oceans are the least polluted. The real threat to them is plastic. If iron gets into the water column, the same cans, they sink to the bottom and do little harm. It is the same with glass bottles: they are made of sand, they just sink. But plastic - wrappers, bottles - does not dissolve and floats on the surface. Whales, swallowing water, can also swallow a plastic bottle. It will clog in the blowhole, and the mammal will die.

In the Urals, where Konyukhov was supported by friends and businessmen, Fedor was presented with a piece of a meteorite - for good luck - and a bottle of water from Lake Turgoyak - on a boat with the same name, the traveler crossed the Atlantic, because "it is sacred" for the navigator. The organizers of the trip across the Pacific admit that the expedition costs "about the same as a luxury car."