A legendary 83-year-old Japanese voyager on Saturday will embark on a three month sail from the Bay Area to Japan, hoping to become the oldest person to journey solo on a yacht nonstop across the Pacific Ocean.
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Kenechi Horie will set sail from Sausalito, traverse through the Golden Gate and hopes to reach his home in Osaka by early June, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Horie is regarded as a Japanese national hero for his many sailing accomplishments, highlighted by his first trip across the Pacific in 1962.
Horie, then 23-years old, became the first yachtsman to sail non-stop across the Pacific. He sailed from Japan and arrived to San Francisco completely unannounced, without a passport, money or little knowledge of English. He was briefly arrested before being granted his release by Mayor George Christopher, who presented him with both a visa and key to the city.
The Chronicle reported that his voyage was seen as a "one man olive branch of post-war diplomacy" between the U.S. and Japan.
Horie went on to make numerous more solo voyages in the years since, including both westward and north-south voyages across the world, using a variety of eco-friendly vessels.
His upcoming adventure will be his since 2008 when he sailed on a wave powered boat from Hawaii to Kii Channel.
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