In 2008 Dustin Reynolds was riding his motorcycle when he was hit by a drunk driver. As he lay on the road, still conscious and aware that he had lost an arm and a leg, he debated the awful choice before him. Call 911, live and be disabled; or die on the road.
Fours years later Dustin, who had no seafaring experience, set sail from Hawaii in an attempt to become the first double amputee to solo sail around the world. Now the 43-year-old Dustin Reynolds has just completed the circumnavigation of the globe!
The experience of Dustin Reynolds
“I started sailing in effort to become the first double amputee to circumnavigate the world solo”, says Dustin Reynolds on his website. “On June 18th 2014, with limited sailing knowledge and even more limited funds, I casted the dock lines on my $12,000, seen-better-days, 1968 35ft Alberg sloop. My journey may have started with some heartbreak, a little ignorance, and a massive chip on my shoulder. This same journey and I have evolved to what I hope becomes a lifelong platform for adventure and exploration. I no longer care about a record, being first, or any publicity about my trip. I think what has made my journey to date so interesting is becoming part of a tight sailing community and my interactions with island peoples through the pacific and Asia. Many places I visit don’t have internet, hospitals, antibiotics, or any reliable source of outside information. One of the most unique experiences I have is interacting with remote islanders whom have never seen a person survive injuries as serious as mine, let alone see them sail solo to their home.“
“It is hard for me to really process everything I’ve done in the last 7.5 years. I sailed to 36 countries and over 30,000 miles alone, over 10,000 miles on deliveries, 5 equator crossings, and to every continent except europe. I have met amazing people, learned about new cultures and food. Even spending this much time as a guest in other countries I was always treated as part of the community.“
You can discover more about Dustin Reynolds on his website and his Facebook page.