Grandfather fulfills pipe dream
An 85-year-old pensioner has fulfilled a lifetime's ambition by sailing across the Atlantic - on a raft made of pipes.
Anthony Smith completed the 2,800-mile voyage after 66 days at sea sailing between the Canary Islands and the Caribbean, reports The Sun.
The grandfather, a former BBC Tomorrow's World presenter, was joined aboard the An-Tiki by a crew of three he recruited with a newspaper advert.
They made the treacherous trip in the one-of-a-kind vessel, made from 12-metre lengths of water and gas pipes and powered by only a 40ft mast and 400sq ft sail.
Mr Smith said: "Some people say it was mad. But it wasn't mad. What else do you do when you get on in years?"
Along with crew David Hildred, Andrew Bainbridge, and John Russell, he wanted to prove the elderly are capable of embarking on adventures some consider dangerous.
"How many people do you know who have rafted across the Atlantic? The word mutiny was only spoken about two or three times a day," he added.
They also wanted to raise awareness about the environment and raise cash for water charity WaterAid.
An-Tiki, made up of four water supply pipes and 14 cross pipes, seven of which stored the crew's fresh water supply, survived the voyage unscathed but for damage to two rudders.
The adventurers had intended to end their trip in the Bahamas, but strong winds and currents forced them to the Dutch Caribbean island of St Maarten.
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