Epic Kayak Adventures Across The Pacific & Atlantic Oceans

Cyril Derreumaux Podcast

SEASON 2 EPISODE 3 – SUMMARY

Welcome back to another thrilling episode of the Adventure Diaries with your host, Chris Watson.

Today, we dive deep into the life of an extraordinary adventurer, Cyril Derreumaux, a world-record-breaking adventure kayaker.

Cyril’s impressive feats include the Great Pacific Race, the Yukon Race, and his daring solo kayak journey across the Pacific Ocean from the USA to Hawaii.

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Adventure Diaries with Cyril Derreumaux: An Epic Kayaking Journey

From Wine Industry to World-Record Kayaker

Cyril Derreumaux journey from the wine industry to becoming a full-time adventurer and motivational speaker is nothing short of inspiring. Cyril, originally from France and now residing on the west coast of the USA, transitioned from the wine industry to adventures on the water. Reflecting on his first moments at sea, Cyril shared, “The very first day people think you’re gonna be afraid and it’s actually a sense of relief. When you leave the dock, you’ve been wanting that for months and months and there’s like a stress buildup.”

Embracing Failure and Learning from Kayaking Challenges

Cyril’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges. He believes in embracing failure as a crucial part of growth.

“There are so many lessons I gotta tell you on that failure. People don’t like to call it failure because you say there’s no failure, it’s just learning opportunities. But I think actually we shouldn’t be afraid of the word. Yes, I failed, I didn’t cross. But why? And that’s in answering the why that actually you learn the most,”

Discovering Passion for Kayaking at Age 32

The Adventure Diaries episode delves into Cyril’s early life in France, his passion for soccer, and his eventual love for kayaking, which began at the age of 32. Cyril shared how a friend’s invitation to paddle opened a new chapter in his life, leading to his incredible journey from California to Hawaii in a solo kayak.

Despite the physical and mental challenges, Cyril’s determination never wavered.

“I dared myself to cross solo and unsupported, which is kind of mind-blowing. Can you believe in 10 years?” he marveled.

Detailed Preparation for Kayaking Expeditions

Cyril’s preparation for his adventures is meticulous. He emphasizes the importance of training both physically and mentally. He explained his comprehensive training routine: “One hour of yoga, one hour of running one day.

The next day I’m going to do one hour of biking and one hour of kayak. The idea is just to get your body that is so well trained that I could do any kind of activity.”

Mental Resilience and Hypnotherapy Techniques for Kayaking

Beyond physical preparation, Cyril focuses on mental resilience. He practices Zazen meditation, yoga, and even uses hypnotherapy. His coach’s advice on handling stressful situations is invaluable. “You got to get like whatever you fear or you think you can’t manage, you have to go progressively towards that. And then you create automatism in your mind so that it becomes benign,” Cyril shared

Encounters with Wildlife During Ocean Kayaking Adventures

Cyril’s journey is filled with unforgettable encounters with wildlife. From whales and dolphins to flying fish and frigate birds, the ocean is alive with wonders. “It’s like National Geographic out there. I was so slow, I got two miles an hour… The wildlife is so well adapted to these conditions and they are amazing,” Cyril described with awe

Preparing for the 2024 Atlantic Kayak Crossing

Cyril’s next big adventure is the Atlantic Crossing from the Canary Islands to Barbados, planned for December 2024. With a distance of 2,600 nautical miles, Cyril is excited yet cautious. “The Atlantic is actually considered a little bit longer. It’s going to be 2,600 nautical miles. My estimation is about 75 days, but I was very wrong on my first crossing. I thought it was going to be 70 days, I did 90.”

Episode Takeaways

  • Cyril Derreumaux is a world-record-breaking adventure kayaker.
  • His journey includes the Great Pacific Race, Yukon Race, and a solo kayak from the USA to Hawaii.
  • Cyril transitioned from the wine industry to full-time adventuring.
  • He emphasizes learning from failure and not fearing the word ‘failure’.
  • Cyril started kayaking at 32 and took on a solo journey after 10 years.
  • Preparation includes physical training, mental resilience, and learning from past experiences.
  • Cyril’s next adventure is crossing the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to Barbados in December 2024.

Call To Adventure – Embrace New Experiences

  • Call To Adventure From Cyril Derreumaux
  • “Look at the definition of adventure. If I ask you what’s adventure, you’re going to say it’s excitement. It’s a new thing, it’s spontaneity. It’s just fun, right? Adventure is fun. And if you look at the opposite of adventure, something that is not adventurous, what would you say? It’s routine, it’s normal, it’s boring. Why wouldn’t you want to have adventure? Per definition, you want an adventurous life, right?”
  • “Whatever you want to do is good. It has to come from the heart. It has to come from like that, that inner fire that you want to do and do it again. You do it for free.”
  • “And it could be about taking photographs of butterflies around the world. I don’t care. You want to start guitar? Start now. I started cacking. I was 32. You want to do what? See all the biggest trees in the world. Do that. You want to do, you know, help people learning how to speak Spanish. Do that. Whatever it is, like it’s adventure, it’s vibration, do that.”

Pay It Forward – Promote Ocean Conservation

  • How To Pay It Forward – From Cyril Derreumaux
  • “If you go on the beach and you see something on the floor, if you don’t pick it up, it’s as bad as if you had thrown it yourself, which is not right. You didn’t do it. But like caring, caring for that. Like if everybody, if I do it myself, yeah, it’s going to change. You do it and somebody else does it. But if everybody had this mentality where I’m going to clean wherever I go, if I leave it better than I found it, it’s an improvement.

CONCLUSION

Cyril Derreumaux story is a testament to the power of resilience, passion, and the relentless pursuit of one’s dreams. His journey from the wine industry to becoming a world-record kayaker inspires us to embrace adventure and learn from our failures.

As Cyril prepares for his next epic challenge, we are reminded that with determination and courage, we can achieve the extraordinary.

Make sure to follow Cyril on Instagram and on his site Solo Kayak The Atlantic.

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