Kenichi Horie, an 83-year-old Japanese sailor, has made history as the oldest person to complete a solo journey across the Pacific Ocean.

Sailing solo across the vast Pacific is an extraordinary feat in itself. Yet, 83-year-old Japanese adventurer Kenichi Horie has done it several times over.

On Saturday, June 4, Horie set a remarkable record as the oldest person to sail nonstop across the Pacific Ocean solo.

After more than two months at sea, Horie arrived at the waters off the Kii Peninsula in western Japan at 2:39 a.m. local time, marking the end of his epic voyage.

As he neared the final leg of his journey from Shikoku Island to Wakayama, Horie shared this message with Dinogo over satellite phone: 'Don’t let your dreams remain just dreams. Set a goal, work toward it, and a wonderful life will follow.'

Horie embarked on his journey aboard the 19-foot, 990 kg (2,182 lb) sailboat, the Suntory Mermaid III, departing from San Francisco, California, on March 27.

While some parts of the journey proved difficult, Horie stayed connected with his family every day through satellite phone calls. 'If I didn’t check in at least once a day, they’d start worrying,' he explained.

Horie made no stops along the way and was spotted off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, on April 16. His final destination is Cape Hinomisaki in western Japan, where he is expected to arrive on June 4.

Upon reaching Japan, Horie will take part in a welcome ceremony in Nishinomiya city, Hyogo prefecture, after the Suntory Mermaid III is towed to its home port at Shin Nishinomiya Yacht Harbor.

'Japan’s most famous yachtsman' is how he’s often referred to, cementing his status as a legendary figure in the world of sailing.

This isn’t Horie's first venture on what he calls an 'epic Pacific cruise.'

In 1962, at the age of 23, Horie was a spare parts salesman when he became the first person to successfully complete a nonstop solo journey across the Pacific Ocean, traveling from Japan to California, according to the US National Park Service.

Horie reflected, 'I was confident I could make it—I just wanted to take on the challenge.' However, he admitted that during storms at sea, he sometimes felt anxious, as his only means of communication was a radio, and GPS had yet to be invented.

Horie shared with Dinogo that he set sail from Nishinomiya port on May 12, 1962, without any official clearance. He embarked on a 94-day journey across the Pacific aboard his 19-foot plywood boat, the Mermaid. Surviving on rice and canned food, he sailed through the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco unannounced, with no passport or money.

Horie fondly recalls the moment when he joyfully offered sake and beer to the Americans who came to greet him after his arrival.

Although Horie lacked official documents, he was granted a visa by San Francisco's then-Mayor, George Christopher.

At the time of his arrival, donations flooded in to support Horie, and his fame was such that media outlets were limited to 20-minute interviews with him, according to the Gadsden Times.

Low-tech, eco-conscious sailor

Since his groundbreaking first journey, Horie has crossed the Pacific using eco-friendly boats, including ones powered by solar panels and another crafted from aluminum cans and plastic bottles.

In 1999, he sailed from San Francisco to Japan aboard a unique vessel made entirely from beer kegs.

While Horie has spent decades advocating for the ocean as 'an irreplaceable source of life for the Earth,' he does not consider himself an environmental activist. 'I’m just doing my part as a member of society,' he explained.

Horie, who has long expressed his desire to keep sailing until he turns 100, never imagined that six decades after his first voyage, he would be embarking on another solo, nonstop journey across the Pacific.

'I never thought I’d still be sailing at 83, but I’m healthy, and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity,' Horie shared. 'Challenges are exciting, so I want to keep pushing forward.'

As for the Mermaid, the boat that first carried him across the Pacific to America, it is now on display at the National Maritime Museum in California.

A plaque donated by Horie bears his heartfelt message: 'Take a moment to remember the young Japanese man who cherished his yacht and had a deep love for the United States of America.'