British Army veteran becomes first triple amputee to cross an ocean solo

Craig Wood (UK) is on a mission to lay waste to outdated assumptions around what is and isn’t possible for people with disabilities in the field of high-seas adventure. 

Having recently made history by becoming the first triple amputee to cross an ocean solo, without any outside support, it’s a goal that has doubtlessly made a great leap closer to being realized, although for someone as ambitious as Craig, he may not yet consider it to be fully accomplished.

The epic journey aboard his 41-ft catamaran Sirius II set out from Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, Mexico, on 25 March. Ninety days later on 24 June, having sailed more than 7,500 nautical miles (13,900 km; 8,630 mi), he took his first steps back on terra firma in Hiroshima, Japan, on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

Rifleman Craig’s life was transformed at the age of 18, not long into his first tour of duty, when he unwittingly stepped on to an IED (improvised explosive device) in Afghanistan. The explosion resulted in the amputation of both of his legs and his left hand, not to mention extensive blood loss and shrapnel injuries.

Once the immediate urgent treatment to save his life had been successful, the much longer stage of follow-up operations, physiotherapy and adapting – both physically and mentally – to his new body lay ahead.

“Recovery was a long process, including four years of rehabilitation learning how to walk again, with a lot of setbacks along the way,” Craig confided. “The mental side of things for me has been difficult, but now after 16 years I’m in a great place and full of fulfilment and contentment.”

A major part of his personal recovery journey was returning to a childhood passion of sailing. It was something he'd been taught by his dad, and indeed it was Craig's father again who encouraged him to reacquaint himself with his former hobby.

Craig's re-found love for all things maritime snowballed, so much so that he decided to take the plunge and bought a boat not just for leisure but to actually live on board with his family. It was a steep learning curve that he now looks back on as a determining factor that enabled him to take on this extreme challenge.

He explained what led to his idea to traverse an ocean singlehandedly, something that in the past many might have considered inconceivable for a triple amputee: “I’ve been sailing around the world for the last eight years and so my skill and experience has been building along the way. 

“I felt like giving back to charity and sailing was a platform that suited my skills and so I wanted the challenge of a proper ocean crossing – one for the record books – and once my wife showed her support for the idea it started to take shape.”

Weren’t his family nervous once he told them his plans to traverse the Pacific by himself, though? “They all know my skills and knowledge base, so knew I didn’t take the challenge lightly. 

“They were very supportive but also worried as one would be about this type of passage.”

As Craig mentions, another key motivator for attempting this unprecedented adaptive adventuring feat was raising awareness and funds for two charities close to his heart that had helped him: Blesma (which supports veterans who have lost limbs) and Turn to Starboard (which uses sailing to help members of the military adjust back to civilian life).

As you’d expect when crossing an ocean over many weeks by yourself, there were some high and low points. Among the highlights, Craig cites “seeing whales as I left Mexico, sailing under the stars with bioluminescence behind me and seeing my first ever lunar rainbow”.

As for the tougher parts, he of course had to deal with very limited sleep, unpredictable weather and frequent repairs such as torn sails and faulty plumbing. Towards the end, his prosthetic arm was damaged which meant he had to complete the remaining journey using just one hand.

Despite all the hard work and stressful periods, Craig says there were still “plenty of moments where I could just take it all in”. He even found time to grow a tomato plant and make his own pies and bread from scratch, though he wishes he’d taken along more flour and yeast in hindsight.

Sirius II was certainly well-stocked for the trip. Supplies included 10 kg (22 lb) of rice, 50 packs of spaghetti, 100 tins of beans and 50 tins each of tuna, chicken and Spam, as well as fresh produce, nuts and seeds, 20 jars of peanut butter, and snacks such as protein bars and rice crackers.

On landing in Hiroshima, he told the media: “I’m exhausted – but so proud to complete an expedition that many thought impossible. It’s tested me and my boat almost to the limit, but I stayed focused on the moment and thought of my family kept me going.”

Asked whether he thinks that sailing as a sport has generally become more accessible in recent times, Craig said: “Boats are becoming easier to adapt as they can be changed while being built or at postproduction. 

“The problem mostly comes from marina facilities not being accessible or poorly kept docks that could cause issues. There’s great work being done in the actual sailing side of things, but there’s still a long way to go before it’s an easy thing to do in general terms.”

While it seems unlikely that this will be the end of Craig’s record-breaking journey, for now he’s just looking forward to getting back to spend time with his loved ones.

“After spending 120 days away from my wife and kids, my sights are set purely on being present and supporting my family,” he said.