Last spring, Oliver Wigger quit his job at a company in 2011, settled the 401(k) and bought a yacht. His goal begins with the first war of 2,400 miles to Hawaii, sailing from his home in Oregon, sailing around the world.
Widger's journey differs from other ocean voyages in two prominent ways. First of all, he had no previous sailing experience before paying $50,000 for a second-hand COM-PAC 33 boat named Phoenix after the rescue cat. Secondly, the cat, the female Cariko, is his only companion on the trip.
As this is 2025, Widgar is hardly alone on the high seas. Using StarLink satellite system for the internet, he records his travels in real time on social media. And since he left on April 30th, his account has taken off, with nearly 1 million followers on Instagram and 700,000 on Tiktok.
Wigger, 29, has long brown hair, a sloppy whisker, and a serious “hey, man” attitude. He opens his daily video diary.
He was inspired by his adventures after being diagnosed with Cripel Fail Syndrome, a rare bone disorder in which the vertebrae in his neck is fused. It can cause muscle weakness and even paralysis.
His followers, who have created their own videos about his trip, see his decision as a life-affirming. They saw Mr Widgar's helm broke and he had to do repairs in flight, and they were there even at the moment he was simply cold on the deck of the boat. Like all real-time adventure chronicles, there is probably an element of waiting to see if Wigger and Phoenix made it or swallowed it into a rogue wave in the middle of Hawaii.
The New York Times caught up with Mr. Wigger on Monday (Day 13) to see how he and Phoenix are doing, and what he's making with his sudden fame.
This interview was compiled and condensed.
where are you now? Can you explain what you are seeing?
I'm sitting at a chart table for navigation. Go to my Instagram highlights and you will find a tracker that shows where I am and my coordinates. I'm closer to people on the space station than people on land.
You are alone in the vast ocean, but connected to millions of people watching. Can you explain this strange, completely modern sense?
Crossing the ocean is definitely nuts. And the same day I started, I went viral. This is definitely crazy too. These two insane things happened at the same time.
I feel that in a way it's wrong. It feels like it's against the rules. All of my heroes went by themselves. They surrounded these passages with crazy boundaries. It's really you and the element.
You were an inexperienced sailor before this trip, so how did you decide to prepare to go?
The biggest problem people have is just going. Everyone is waiting for the right moment. The boat must be perfect. The training must be perfect. And they never go.
I know I'm relatively inexperienced. But I worked on this boat and learned how to sail 12 hours a day, seven days a week, last year. I felt my skills were ready. I now know this boat confidently like the back of my hand. I became a diesel mechanic, plumber, electrician, navigator and sailor.
What have you learned about yourself through this journey?
I discovered that I can handle situations that appear. It's not the case that something breaks, it's the case that it breaks.
Why do you think your story has captivated millions of people?
Everyone is working these insane hours and all costs are rising. More than ever. You can make $150,000 and get it barely. People then see the broken person. For them, it's inspiration.
How does Phoenix work on boat life?
The first few days were rough for her. But it was so strange to see her. She gets along better on the boat than I do. It's the coolest thing. She is my best friend. I tell her like she's a human. There's a complete conversation.
What was your most frightening moment so far?
I locked myself in the engine compartment. It's the worst fear of all sailors. That was my worst fear. It was the day after the rudder. I latched the hatch where I opened, then a huge wave came and it closed. And I heard I closed it. Emotions – “Oh, my God, that happened.” Luckily, I had a wrench out there. I broke the hinge and it broke.
And your most blissful moment?
Ah, man, there's a couple. The sunset is crazy. I watch the dolphins swim. It's just hanging outside when it's wrapped. The ocean was always very violent, but as peaceful as glass.
