From Factory Worker to Record-Breaking Kayaker
Aleksander Doba, born in 1946 in Swarzędz, Poland, discovered kayaking in the 1970s after a work club invited him on a two-week paddling trip. That invitation sparked a passion that shaped the rest of his life.
After studying mechanical engineering and working at chemical plants in Police, he began setting national records, including 108 days of kayaking in a single year and completing a 1,189-km route through Poland. During the Cold War, he illegally kayaked across the Baltic Sea, confusing border guards who didn’t know what laws he had broken. He simply turned back and continued paddling.
Solo Crossings and a Custom Kayak
In 2010, at age 64, Doba launched his first solo Atlantic crossing from Dakar, Senegal. His kayak, Olo, was 7 meters long and carried hundreds of kilos of supplies, including chocolate bars, desalination gear, and three liters of homemade wine.
He spent 99 days alone at sea before reaching Brazil. Three years later, he attempted a longer route—from Lisbon to Florida. That 2014 expedition took 167 days and spanned over 12,400 km, including encounters with cargo ships, storms, and even a shark.
Paddling the Ocean in Reverse
At age 70, in 2017, Doba attempted the reverse: kayaking from New York to France. His third Atlantic journey was the most grueling. He faced starvation, capsized more than once, and lost considerable weight. After 110 days, he reached Le Conquet, France.
This achievement, combined with his earlier voyages, earned him global recognition, including National Geographic’s 2015 Traveler of the Year.
One Final Summit
In February 2021, Doba set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. He was in good spirits and showed no signs of stopping. Near the summit, he paused, smiled, and shouted “Wild Africa!” before sitting down to rest. He collapsed and died shortly after.
His body was recovered near the summit. His life, filled with solo voyages and high-altitude treks, ended in motion—pursuing one more goal, on top of Africa.
Aleksander Doba kayaked across the Atlantic three times, once at age 70, and died near the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2021.
From factory worker to solo ocean voyager, his life defied limits.
He met storms, sharks, and silence—and just kept going…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/US7TV4iAV1
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) August 2, 2025