Man Who Quit Job to Sail with His Cat Reaches Hawaii After 3 Weeks at Sea — and a Crowd of Fans Greet Him

Oliver Widger was welcomed successful Hawaii pinch unfastened arms — and tons of them!

Widger, 29, amassed 1.8 cardinal followers connected Instagram aft quitting his occupation successful firm America to sail pinch his feline Phoenix pursuing a test that carried a consequence of paralysis. After a twelvemonth of preparation, he group sail from Oregon past month. Fast guardant 3 weeks and 3 days astatine sea, and nan viral sensation arrived astatine his first destination: Hawaii — and residents of nan authorities welcomed him successful an appropriately epic way.

From nan infinitesimal they pulled into nan land of Oahu connected Saturday, May 24, Widger and Phoenix were met pinch a crowd of cheering admirers — immoderate earlier they moreover reached land.

Aerial and sea-level footage shared by nan Waikiki Yacht Club shows that respective boats paddled and rowed alongside nan travelers to escort them to nan club, wherever a “welcome celebration” awaited nan human-feline duo. 

“With conscionable a mates days to prepare, we did it! Mahalo nui to everyone who showed up to springiness @sailing-with_phoenix nan warmest Hawaiian welcome!” nan yacht nine wrote complete footage of nan oversea welcome. “We couldn't beryllium much proud of you, Oliver, & we're truthful honored to beryllium your first extremity connected this epic journey!”

An Instagram Stories station from nan yacht nine showed guests lined up extracurricular 45 minutes earlier nan event. Journalists, admirers of Widger and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green each flocked to nan business to meet nan viral traveler.

Once Widger arrived, festivities — including unrecorded music, hula and a gift table, per nan yacht club’s Instagram — kicked into afloat gear.

Though he is very unfastened while documenting his travel online, Widger was admittedly tense while addressing nan crowd astatine nan event, according to nan Associated Press.

The online prima besides said he was emotion “really weird,” nan AP reported. After 24 days astatine sea, he explained, “I conscionable consciousness for illustration I person to, like, clasp connected to things to not autumn over.”

Addressing nan crowd — and why they were gathered to spot him — Widger said, per nan AP: “I deliberation a batch of group are, you know, you’re grinding astatine your occupation each time agelong and it doesn’t really matter really overmuch money you make astatine this point. Everybody’s conscionable trying to do capable to get by, and that conscionable wears you out."

“It’s conscionable nan world’s successful a weird place, and I deliberation group person seen that it’s imaginable to break out,” he added.

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Beyond his address, Widger besides met pinch admirers successful what nan yacht nine called a “receiving line,” speaking and snapping photos pinch attendees. “Don’t worry, he’s getting breaks,” nan business wrote alongside footage of nan meet-and-greet.

The yacht nine besides shared footage of nan gift array astatine nan event, which included cogwheel for Widger, snacks for Phoenix and cards for some travelers.

Reacting to his lukewarm invited successful Hawaii aft nan charismatic festivities concluded, Widger shared a video of himself, settled successful a hotel, reflecting connected nan time connected Instagram Stories.

“Hello everybody. Today was wild, but look wherever we are,” he began, gesturing to nan Hawaii seashore astatine sunset. “Holy moly. I made it.”

“We had a really bully day, a chaotic day,” he continued. “I’ve gotta process everything that conscionable happened, it was perfectly insane. But for those of you that came, convey you. For those of you I couldn’t talk to, I’m sorry. There were truthful galore group there, and convey you to nan unit astatine nan marina. Thank you.”