50-Year-Old Man Paddled His Way From San Francisco to Honolulu

An oceanic journey sounds like fun, unless you have to do it on a paddleboard. But as an endurance athlete, Antonio de la Rosa from Spain was up for the challenge. So, he set out from San Francisco, California, on course towards Honolulu, Hawaii, and his journey may inspire you to do the same.

He Set Out to Conquer the Sea

50-year-old Antonio de la Rosa’s journey began on June 9, 2019, in San Francisco, California. His destination was Honolulu, Hawaii and he intended to make it there using just a paddleboard.

But this was no typical paddleboard…

The Paddleboard Was Fully Equipped

De la Rosa’s mode of transportation was a combination of a paddleboard and a small boat. It contained storage bins, food, solar panels for power and a sleeping cabin, too.

He Called It the ‘Ocean Defender’

The sea can be the ultimate ally or the ultimate betrayer with its treacherous currents and powerful waves. But De la Rosa had the Ocean Defender, a 24-foot long paddleboard, which he was convinced could get him safely to his final destination.

A Specialist in Solo Traveling

It wasn’t like he hadn’t done this kind of thing before. He had raced across the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing boat all by himself and canoed across the Canary Islands in 2014.