QM2 to the rescue! Close encounter in mid-Atlantic for solo oarswoman

Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 lent a helping hand to a solo woman rower Mylène Paquette in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean today.
Mylène, from Canada, is aiming to become the first North American woman to row solo across the Atlantic, a total of 2,700 nautical miles. She set out from Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 6, heading for Lorient, France, but was hit by the remnants of Atlantic Storm Humberto and had lost her anchor and a satellite phone.
QM2, which left New York on Sunday on a seven-night crossing to Southampton, received a request to assist yesterday and prepared a package of items to help.
The rendezvous between occurred at 46 degrees 49.9 minutes North, 034 degrees 53.1 minutes West at 1300 hours UK time today.
Queen Mary 2 greeted Mylène with three blasts on the ship’s whistle and slowly circled the boat at 10 knots to calm the water before the four watertight canisters containing the requested items were dropped into the sea and collected.
There were cheers from passengers lining the ship’s rails and the ship’s whistle sounded many times more. Mylène spoke with the ship on the VHF radio and this was relayed to passengers via the public address system
Queen Mary 2 donated a new satellite phone and, overnight, prepared two drogue anchors to hold Mylène’s boat in position when it is not being rowed.
After 83 days alone in her boat and with about two months still to go, Mylène had also asked for help with a number of items, and the ship has supplied fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, pastries, muesli, crackers, chocolate, plus bottled water and coffee, English tea, mint tea and hot chocolate sachets.
In addition, the ship supplied a scraper to remove the barnacles underneath the boat, duct tape, soap, shampoo and body lotion. Plus postcards of Queen Mary 2!
Captain Kevin Oprey, Master of Queen Mary 2, said:
“We are happy to have given assistance to Mylène and help her recover from the damage inflicted by the storm. We wish her the very best of luck with her solo Atlantic rowing adventure.”
Mylène said:
“This is a dream come true! For me to see the Queen Mary 2 in the middle of the Atlantic is something I would have never hoped for. I want to thank all of the members of the crew for making this encounter happen.”