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Gary Christensen of Happy Valley, Oregon, has finally achieved his dream of growing a pumpkin big enough to sail on. He sailed 73,50 km down the Columbia River in Washington, USA to set the record for the longest journey in a pumpkin boat (rowing).
He writes about it SEEDS.
The man completed the journey in 26 hours aboard his hand-carved vessel, which he named the Punky Loafster. His journey, which lasted three days, broke the previous record of 63,04 km set in 2023.
Gary has been growing giant pumpkins since 2011, and in 2013 he carved his first boat-sized pumpkin to enter the competition, which he has won four years in a row.
"This record attempt has been a challenge I've been thinking about for a long time, and I finally decided to do it this year when I grew a travel-friendly pumpkin," said Gary Christensen.
The giant pumpkin was picked on October 4th and then officially weighed and measured at the Baumann Harvest Festival in Gervais, Oregon. Its circumference was 429,26 cm, and its weight was 555,2 kg. This is about the weight of an adult camel or a grand piano.
Gary launched his pumpkin into the Columbia River from a trailer on Hamilton Island in North Bonneville, Washington. To ensure his safety, he was accompanied by other people in kayaks and a pontoon boat throughout the trip.
