(9/23/98)

Wednesday morning, a Utah man began an epic journey on the Atlantic Ocean. He's trying to become the first American ever to row solo across an Ocean. News Specialist John Hollenhorst has an update.

Richard Jones started from the exact departure point of famous Portuguese explorers... such as Vasco DeGama. It's called the Monument of Discoverers in Lisbon, Portugal.

Jones plans to spend six or eight months, rowing from Portugal to Miami.

On his Atlantic Adventure.. he's carrying all his food... and he may go six months without seeing another soul.

His daughter Susan followed along in a sailboat as he departed from Lisbon. That was just before midnight Tuesday, Salt Lake time.

We spoke with her by phone from Portugal. She said he is excited to go, in a good mood, and rowing strong. She said the boat, loaded with supplies, was very heavy, and Jones thought it would take a long time to get to his destination this morning, but he made it in record time.

Susan will have one last chance to say goodbye to her father. Right now he's sleeping on the boat in a harbor, about 15 miles down the coast from Lisbon.