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Bombard Alain Biography

French biologist, physician and politician famous for sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in a small boat. On 19 October 1952 Bombard began his solitary trip across the Atlantic for the West Indies. He sailed in a Zodiac inflatable boat called lHérétique, which was only 4.5 metres (15 ft) long, taking only a sextant and almost no provisions. Bombard reports he survived by fishing (and using fish as source of both fresh water and food) with a self-made harpoon and hooks and harvesting the surface plankton with a small net. He also drank a limited amount of seawater for a long period on his trip. Bombard reached Barbados on 23 December 1952 after 4,400 km of travel. He had lost 25 kg and was briefly hospitalized. He published a book about his trip entitled "Naufragé Volontaire" in 1953. Bombard died in the southern French town of Toulon on 19 July 2005 at age 80. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less