While most people his age are content to watch the world from the shore, Krzysztof Baranowski has chosen to circle it alone. The 87-year-old Polish sailor is once again in the middle of the ocean, undertaking his third solo voyage around the globe. Quietly, without fanfare, he set off last November, proving that endurance, curiosity and courage are not measured in years.
Baranowski is no stranger to maritime history. He was the first Pole to complete a single-handed circumnavigation of the world, an achievement he repeated decades later. He has sailed solo around Cape Horn, crossed the Southern Ocean eastward through the infamous Roaring Forties, and earned his place among a tiny group of sailors worldwide who have dared to do so alone. Yet this new journey is remarkable even by his own standards.
At present, his yacht Meteor is making steady progress across the Atlantic, bound for Martinique. There is no crew, no relief watch, no safety net, only one man, his vessel and the ocean. In an era dominated by automation and teams, Baranowski’s voyage feels almost anachronistic, a reminder of a time when sailing meant self-reliance in its purest form.
Born in 1938 in Lviv, far from the sea, Baranowski first discovered sailing as a teenager. That encounter shaped his entire life. Beyond his personal expeditions, he became a builder of institutions and people: the founder of the legendary School Under Sail (Szkoła pod Żaglami), a champion of Polish tall ships, and the first captain of the brig Fryderyk Chopin. As a writer, journalist and teacher, he has influenced generations of sailors who learned not only seamanship from him, but also discipline and respect for the sea.
For this third circumnavigation, Baranowski chose Meteor, a 15.4-metre yacht with a narrow beam and classic lines inspired by racing yachts of the 1920s. Built with a wood–epoxy structure, the vessel reflects its skipper’s philosophy: elegant, traditional and uncompromisingly functional.
The planned route began in Tenerife and leads through the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, the Pacific islands, Australia, the Indian Ocean and around southern Africa, before returning to the Canary Islands. It is a demanding itinerary even for sailors decades younger.
Why undertake such a challenge at 87? Baranowski speaks of solitude at sea as a unique mental state, something close to weightlessness. Alone on the ocean, emotions intensify: moments of clarity, joy and sadness follow one another without distraction. He jokes that after commanding countless crews over the years, he has finally earned some peace, though his idea of tranquillity involves storms, night watches and constant vigilance.
Solo sailing, however, leaves no room for error. Fresh water must be precisely rationed, food carefully planned, and sleep managed in short, strategic intervals. Fatigue is one of the greatest threats; at sea, exhaustion can be fatal and unseen. The weather is another constant concern.
Despite these risks and his age, Baranowski remains in striking physical and mental shape. He still skis regularly and maintains that skiing is far more physically demanding than sailing. His humour, too, remains intact. In a recent logbook entry, he joked about the yacht “talking” to him and about shouting himself after accidentally pouring boiling water onto his hand.
His voyage can be followed through regular updates on social media, where brief messages from the captain are accompanied by commentary on weather, routing and life aboard Meteor.
You can find the updates here at Baranowski’s official Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/krzysztofbaranowski.official
Source: National Geographic
Photo: X/@lolitkaitrabant
Tomasz Modrzejewski
