New technology to help 'The Blind Captain' kayak across the Bosphorus in a solo journey

After boarding the ferry, Ustunel liked to

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buy tea and sesame bread, and take it outside on the deck. He’d stand at the railing, feeling the spray of the water on his face and listening for nearby boats. Ustunel has been blind since he was three years old when he lost his sight because of eye cancer — but that never kept him away from the water. He spent afternoons fishing with his father and summers swimming in the Black Sea, where his grandmother had a house.

"And I used to think one day, this strait, Bosphorus, should be more accessible to blind swimmers, blind surfers or sailors," Ustunel said. "People should be able to see blind people using boats."

For the last 11 years, Ustunel has lived in the United States, and he's finally making good on that high school aspiration. He plans to return to his homeland next summer to kayak solo across the Bosphorus Strait.

https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-11-07/new-technology-help-blind-captain-kayak-across-bosphorus-solo-journey