Challenging the Pacific

The First Woman to Row the Kon-Tiki Route

By: Maud Fontenoy

Narrated by: Eliza Foss

Named one of Time Magazine International's 30 most important people of 2005, Maud Fontenoy presents us with a terrific, entertaining adventure story on the high seas as she challenges the Pacific Ocean - a feat no woman before her ever accomplished. Already the first woman to row alone across the North Atlantic, Maud raised the bar to defy the elements, the daunting solitude, and the circling sharks of the South Pacific on her second solo voyage. She overcame all the odds as well as her personal doubts and fears, demonstrating not only her indomitable courage and strength but proving once again that women can conquer the most difficult and treacherous obstacles.

©2005, 2011 Editions Robert Laffont (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• AudioFile Earphones Award 2014

"With hushed tones, Foss describes magical moments that Fontenoy encounters, such as a mighty whale eyeing her tiny rowboat, Océor, before diving deep underneath it. During a sequence in which a vicious storm nearly ends the voyage, Foss adds a raw vitality to her voice that makes one ache for Fontenoy. In a fleeting four hours, Foss makes one believe that truly anything is possible."

(AudioFile)

Following the Kon-Tiki route

In 2003, A French woman, Maud Fontenoy was the first woman to row solo across the North Atlantic. In January 2005, in homage to Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki expedition some 59 years earlier, Fontenoy set off solo from Lima Peru, across the Pacific to Hiva Oa in French Polynesia. She rowed 4, 400 in 73 days. Fontenoy tells about the fearful hours fretting about getting run over by container ships in shipping lanes, about the sharks that swam around her boat checking her out. She describes the fear and problems she had when she had to go over the side of the boat to scrap clean the hull and rudder of the boat from crustaceans. She describes the delight of encounters with seals, dolphins, whales, fish and birds along the way. She also tells of the flying fish in her boat each morning. I remember reading Heyerdahl’s same description of the flying fish on his raft each morning. Fontenoy describes a few of the practical details of the voyage, how she navigated, the design of her boat, food prepared for her, the desalination container for making water, she also wrote of the beauty and power of the sea. I am a great fan of Heyerdahl. I have read his books over and over since the 1940’s. I was surprised Fontenoy had some similar encounters with the sea life as did Kon-Tiki even though 58 years had passed. Eliza Foss did an excellent job with the narration.

Love this story!!

Gripping and beautiful. A wonderful reminder of perspective and perseverance. And a very poignant view on the importance of our oceans.