The 40-year-old Jonathan R. Trappe found himself in Newfoundland after only 12 hours of flight as he attempted to cross the Atlantic in a contraption of 370 helium-filled balloons, making everyone who loved Up extremely jealous.
He began his voyage in Maine and depending on the weather could have landed anywhere between Iceland or Morocco – over 2,500 miles (4.000 km) away. The Guardian notes that this is not the first trip that Trappe has attempted. He had previously crossed the English Channel and the Alps in an office chair lifted by small balloons. He currently holds the record for longest cluster balloon flight, clocked at 14 hours. For this voyage Trappe opted to use a small yellow lifeboat.
Trappe is an experienced cluster balloon adventurer. Before his flight he had set up several satellite trackers, online updates for his in-flight progress and a radio correspondence tracker, all of which can be found on his website. Upon landing Trappe updated his Facebook account to let everyone know that he was safe but far off course:
While Trappe is disappointed he is not discouraged. He continuously posts updates regarding his ballooning adventures and made a note on his website : “To the great European gas balloonists – I hope to join you soon.”