Juul Hondius

Dear Asif, I saw this incredible photo of you in the newspaper. You were rescued, and I thought you’d give up after that attempt. I found out that someone approached you a few weeks later in the dunes near Calais, and you told them you were going to try again with a slightly larger raft. Another attempt to cross the Strait of Dover! Right through the narrow shipping lanes of the large, fast ships that can’t see you! Risking your life like that is apparently the only way for you to make life worth living, and that’s heartbreaking.

For the video installation I’m currently working on, we made an exact copy of your raft. It turned out to sail quite well. However, the waves during our filming weren’t as high as you probably experienced on your second attempt. The White Cliffs of Dover seem close, but on a raft with only a small sail, it could have taken you days.

 

If you succeed, would you please let me know?