“For the time being, my capsule is behaving very, very well, and I’ve got favorable winds forecast until Sunday,” he told Agence France-Presse by phone after departing.

AFP reported that the orange vessel is made from resin-coated plywood and is designed to protect him not only from the elements but also from possible attacks by orca whales. It has about 65 square feet of living space — enough room to sleep, cook and store Savin’s goods, which include wine and foie gras. It also includes a small window from which he can watch the fish below him.

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Savin, a former paratrooper and park ranger, is documenting his trip on Facebook. On Thursday, he posted a selfie from inside the barrel, assuring his followers that “everything is going well today.”

En direct du Tonneau, message de Jean Jacques : Bonjour à tous et à toutes ! Aujourd'hui tout va bien Position avec coordonnées GPS : ll=27.54615,-18.23749 . Posted by TESA : Traversée de l'Atlantique en Tonneau on Thursday, December 27, 2018

Savin’s Facebook page describes him as a “seasoned sportsman and adventurer in spirit.” On a crowdfunding site he is using to raise money for the trip, he said he has already crossed the Atlantic four times on a sailboat and is seeking to determine what the journey looks like without human assistance.

Savin will drop markers throughout the trip to assist an international marine observatory in its research on ocean currents. Solar power will allow him to stay connected and track his movements with a GPS.

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He told AFP that he doesn’t know where he hopes to land at the end of the trip. “Maybe Barbados,” he said. “Although I’d really like it to be a French island like Martinique or Guadeloupe. That would be easier for the paperwork and for bringing the barrel back.”

It will be easy to follow along and see where he ends up: This website is tracking his movements throughout the three-month journey.