Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 (2003/ 148,528gt) made a 100-mile diversion on her eastbound Atlantic crossing on 26 September to assist Canadian lone rower Mylene Paquette, who was a little over half way from Halifax to Lorient in her quest to become the first North American woman to row solo across the Atlantic.
She had been caught by the tail end of tropical storm Humberto and had lost her satellite phone and anchor and had put out an appeal for assistance. Queen Mary 2 had sailed from New York on 22 September, bound for Southampton, and received the request for assistance three days later.
The ship provided Paquette with two drogue anchors, which had hastily been made by the crew, a new telephone, fresh fruit and vegetables, dried foods, bottled water, tea and coffee, all dropped into the sea in four watertight containers, while her passengers lined the rails and cheered the lone rower, who had been at sea for 83 days and had an estimated 60-70 days to go before reaching France.
