SOLAR SHIP TURANOR update

Dear PlanetSolar friends,

Right now MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar is approaching the capital of the Philippines, Manila. PlanetSolar has journeyed more than 3,000 miles of ocean, or about 5,000km, since its departure from Cairns in northeast Australia. From the time of her original departure from Monaco, MS TURANOR PlanetSolar has managed to cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and cover 35,000 km with just the sun’s energy.

The latest news is that PlanetSolar has been awarded a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest Atlantic crossing in a solar powered boat. MS TURNANOR PlanetSolar completed this record between Tired Caliper and Holy Martin, from October 22, 2010 to November 18, 2010, in 26 days, 19 hours and 10 minutes. The previous holder of this world record was our friends at Sun21. They managed to cross the ocean between Tired Caliper and the Martinique in 29 days.

PlanetSolar has been on the way back home towards Monaco for a few weeks now. Wednesday July 5^thwas an important day for PlanetSolar, as we re-entered into the Northern Hemisphere. We left behind the winter, where we had traveled more than 10,000 miles, or 18,500 km, and emerged into the summer of the southern hemisphere at about 15:30. We crossed the equator near the Galapagos for the first time in January of this year. We are now 15,000km from Monaco and we have once again crossed over the equator to enter the northern hemisphere and leave the south pacific.

With the great success of our adventure, and the continuous growth as we go on, we had to reinforce our land crew at the Swiss offices in the Yverdon-harvest-Bains in the canton Waadt. We adjusted the office accommodations and expanded the team because there is more equipment that needs to be shipped further distances with the stops that PlanetSolar will make throughout Asia.

In a few days PlanetSolar arrives in Manila where we will have an opportunity to thank our partners from Presence Switzerland and SunPower with events coordinated with out expedition. In the beginning of August we will head out for Hong Kong and we plan to arrive by mid-August. This will be followed by a week of festivities and then we will take off again westward for Singapore.

You can track our adventures from Australia to the Philippines in the video that follows our moves from moment to moment.

Wishing you the best and see you soon with new adventures from PlanetSolar.
Raphaël Domjan, Founder & Co-Skipper
Immo Stroeher, Co-founder 

PS: Do not forget to buy your own PlanetSolar products and become part of the Expedition! Visit our E-Shop