U.S. man rowing across Atlantic reaches Caribbean
An American rower who set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean in honor of his brother has reached the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.
A spokeswoman for 48-year-old Victor Mooney said early Saturday the specially built oceangoing rowboat was towed about 20 miles while Mooney was aboard a search and rescue vessel. He has lost 80 pounds as he continues a 3,000-mile journey from the African coast to the British Virgin Islands and then back to New York.
Mooney set off Feb. 19 in a 24-foot boat from Maspolamas, Gran Canaria. His journey is being done in honor of a brother who died of AIDS in 1983. Mooney is hoping to encourage voluntary HIV testing.
Mooney has tried the same feat three other times, without success.
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