On October 5th of last year, a 67-year-old Polish man named Aleksander Doba set out from Lisbon, Portugal in a 21-foot kayak, in hopes of crossing the Atlantic Ocean and reaching Florida.

Aleksander Doba’s 6,000 mile journey ended in a glorious success earlier this month when he landed at New Smyrna Beach, Florida on April 17th. Doba arrived looking like Tom Hanks from Cast Away with weathered skin and long sun bleached beard and hair.

Doba’s journey is believed to be the longest open-water kayak crossing in history.

Previously, Aleksander Doba had paddled 3,345 miles from Senegal, Africa, to Brazil. This journey, which he completed in 2011, spanned 99 days.

Accomplishing this task took great preparation. Doba had to carefully plan his meals and inventories as well as navigate winds, streams, and weather. One minor mistake could have taken Aleksander way off course or left him in the middle of the ocean without food.

Aleksander Doba kissed the ground when he arrived, truly grateful of his achievement. Check out pictures below of Doba and his kayak, and check out more on the story here.