Challenging the Pacific by Maud Fontenoy

"…her feat demonstrates how the individual’s endurance can be pushed as far as she is determined to go."

In 2003 Maud Fontenoy became the first woman to row across the North Atlantic, detailing her solo journey in Across the Savage Sea. Two years later the call of the sea once again captured Maud’s imagination. She undertook the famed Kon-Tiki route from Peru to Polynesia, rowing alone across more than 4400 miles to achieve another female first.

This extraordinary feat is recounted in her latest memoir, Challenging the Pacific. It is a compelling and gripping tale of adventure on the high seas. Fontenoy retraces the steps of her incredible journey from the first inclination to set sail, through the logistics of preparing for her venture, and the lonely days and nights upon the vast Pacific.

Although in daily contact with her family and friends in France via satellite phone, she must endure scorching sun, fear of sharks, and various other perils. Alone for seventy-three days in a small rowboat on the ocean, her feat demonstrates how the individual’s endurance can be pushed as far as she is determined to go. Fontenoy is a true role model worthy to join the ranks of those adventurers who have braved frontiers and faced their own fears to achieve greatness. Challenging the Pacific is a satisfying read, one that will have readers eager to read about her next quest.
Reviewer: Lesley Williams