The Last Adventurer: Message in a Bottle

Join Fons Oerlemans and Kee Arens on a journey of courage, resilience and high adventure as they push the boundaries of possibility on six heroic transatlantic voyages, aboard their extraordinary self-built vessels. From a humble life raft to daring designs using unconventional materials such as an old steam boiler, a nine-ton truck and even a colossal bottle, Oerlemans fearlessly sails his creations across the Atlantic to forge a legacy of innovation and determination. With his wife, Kee, he navigates treacherous waters, tempestuous storms and harrowing challenges to conquer not only the ocean's depths but also their own doubts and fears. From their first expedition in 1974 to their final voyage, their story celebrates the indomitable spirit of true adventurers.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix | 1. Early Days Battlefield Beginings 1 | 2. Dreams Adrift Atlantis 15 | 3. An Ocean Calls Last Generation Voyage 1 29 | 4. Toubled Waters Last Generation Votage 1 41 | 5. Defying Doubts Last Generation Votage 2 57 | 6. Kee's Triumph Last Generation Voyage 2 73 | 7. Steam Boiler at Sea Seaview 89 | 8. Window into the Deep Seaview 101 | 9. Mechanical Mayhem Floating Truck 113 | 10. After the Bang Floating truck 137 | 11. Racing the Waves Flying Bottle 149 | 12. From Speed to Sail Message in a Bottle 159 | 13.Atlantic Archipelago Message in a Bottle 173 | 14. Africa Calls Message in a Bottle 185 | 15. Barbados Bound Message in a Bottle 193 | 16. Living in a Bottle 201 | Acknowledgements 207

FONS OERLEMANS was born in German-occupied Belgium. His unusual childhood playing with the abandoned tanks and explosives left behind after World War 2 gave him a unique outlook on life and a skill with engineering and machinery. It also propelled him into a life of adventure, building improbable vessels for his seven* successful Atlantic crossings, one of which introduced him to his fellow adventurer and future wife, Kee Arens.

KEE ARENS first sought adventure overseas as cabin crew for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. One day she replied to an advert looking for a companion to sail the Atlantic with boat-builder extraordinaire, Fons Oerlemans, and her adventuring life truly took off. Together, they have crossed the Atlantic several times in a series of unusual, self-built vessels, each with its own challenges and rewards. Along the way, she married Fons, had two sons, and spent many years living with her husband in a large, ocean-going bottle.