Soanya Ahmad
Encyclopedia
Soanya Ahmad is a photographer and sailor, holding the current women's world record for the longest time spent non-stop at sea. She left New York Harbor on April 21, 2007, as a shipmate of Reid Stowe
, who was aiming for the longest time ever spent at sea. She spent 306 days on board the schooner Anne, until having to disembark due to morning sickness. Ahmad and Stowe are now the parents of a son, Darshen, and the whole family lives aboard the Anne. Ahmad played an integral part in helping Stowe prepare for the voyage (2007–2010) which he initially dubbed the "Mars Ocean Odyssey." She was also instrumental in providing physical and moral support for the first 10 months of the journey, which would continue with Stowe sailing solo for another 846 days.
, New York. Her parents had emigrated from Guyana
. She later attended the City College of New York
where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in photography. After having photographed many black and white harbor landscapes of cities on the Eastern Seaboard
, she became interested in learning more about the waterfront, prompting her to pursue a second degree in Maritime Technology at Kingsborough Community College
.
. Having worked various office jobs through college, she realized the office cubicle was not for her. Instead, she decided to pursue a life of adventure. The sea offered the perfect opportunity. Three years after her first encounter with Stowe's project, although having never been on the ocean, she decided to accompany Stowe on his most challenging voyage to date. Living aboard the schooner for a year before the onset of the voyage, Ahmad learned basic seamanship skills, and prepared to be isolated from the trappings of civilization for three years. While at sea, Ahmad was involved in all aspects of the voyage, particularly photographing, videotaping, organizing, and inventorying—along with maintenance of the computer and communications equipment, as well as the electrical charging systems.
On February 22, 2008 Soanya achieved a world record for the longest time that any woman has remained at sea, with a time of 306 days spent on board the schooner Anne, together with Reid Stowe. Kay Cottee
inadvertently became the previous holder of this record in 1988 by sailing around the world solo and non-stop, taking 189 days to complete the circumnavigation. Cottee still retains the record for the longest time at sea for a single-handed
woman sailor. After Soanya left the schooner in February 2008, Stowe was able to complete the voyage which allowed him to break several more records for ocean cruising.
Reid Stowe
William Reid Stowe is an American artist and mariner. Stowe grew up around sailboats on the East Coast, sailing on the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in his late teens and early 20's. By age 26, he had built two of his own sailboats with the help of his family and friends...
, who was aiming for the longest time ever spent at sea. She spent 306 days on board the schooner Anne, until having to disembark due to morning sickness. Ahmad and Stowe are now the parents of a son, Darshen, and the whole family lives aboard the Anne. Ahmad played an integral part in helping Stowe prepare for the voyage (2007–2010) which he initially dubbed the "Mars Ocean Odyssey." She was also instrumental in providing physical and moral support for the first 10 months of the journey, which would continue with Stowe sailing solo for another 846 days.
Early life
The eldest of three children, Ahmad was born October 5, 1983, in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York. Her parents had emigrated from Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. She later attended the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in photography. After having photographed many black and white harbor landscapes of cities on the Eastern Seaboard
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, she became interested in learning more about the waterfront, prompting her to pursue a second degree in Maritime Technology at Kingsborough Community College
Kingsborough Community College
Kingsborough Community College , part of the City University of New York system, is the only community college in Brooklyn, New York. The campus is located at Manhattan Beach, which is at the eastern end of Coney Island. The 71-acre campus overlooks Sheepshead Bay, Jamaica Bay, and the Atlantic...
.
1000 Days at Sea
Ahmad came into contact with Stowe's 1000 Days Non-stop at Sea expedition at the beginning of her third year in college as she was photographing the piers of ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Having worked various office jobs through college, she realized the office cubicle was not for her. Instead, she decided to pursue a life of adventure. The sea offered the perfect opportunity. Three years after her first encounter with Stowe's project, although having never been on the ocean, she decided to accompany Stowe on his most challenging voyage to date. Living aboard the schooner for a year before the onset of the voyage, Ahmad learned basic seamanship skills, and prepared to be isolated from the trappings of civilization for three years. While at sea, Ahmad was involved in all aspects of the voyage, particularly photographing, videotaping, organizing, and inventorying—along with maintenance of the computer and communications equipment, as well as the electrical charging systems.
On February 22, 2008 Soanya achieved a world record for the longest time that any woman has remained at sea, with a time of 306 days spent on board the schooner Anne, together with Reid Stowe. Kay Cottee
Kay Cottee
Kay Cottee, AO was the first female sailor to perform a single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the world. She performed this feat in 1988 in her yacht Blackmore's First Lady, taking 189 days.-Early life:...
inadvertently became the previous holder of this record in 1988 by sailing around the world solo and non-stop, taking 189 days to complete the circumnavigation. Cottee still retains the record for the longest time at sea for a single-handed
Single-handed sailing
The sport of single-handed sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one crewmember . The term is usually used with reference to ocean and long-distance sailing, and particularly competitive sailing....
woman sailor. After Soanya left the schooner in February 2008, Stowe was able to complete the voyage which allowed him to break several more records for ocean cruising.
Second voyage with the schooner Anne
As of November 2011, Ahmad and Stowe are about to embark on another voyage named "Voyage to the Mystic Jungles of Guyana". They will have their son and a crew of several other participants to accompany them on this new adventure, with the schooner Anne.External links
- Home page of 1000 Days at Sea
- Coverage of the 1000-day voyage of the Schooner Anne, with a musical twist [from Oct. 11, 2008] and the follow-up report on Weekend America (America Public Media) [from Oct. 25, 2008].
- Peter Roth from "Energy Stew" talks with Soanya Ahmad on January 2, 2010 -- Celebration of over 970 consecutive days at sea without stopping.
- Interview with Reid Stowe and Soanya Ahmad, recorded on June 23, 2010, for NPR's On Point.
- Conversation with Stowe and Ahmad on the weekly radio program "Energy Stew," hosted by Peter Roth.
- The Huffington Post online journal has been hosting Reid Stowe and Soanya Ahmad since Oct., 2010.