Vincenzo Fondacaro

Vincenzo Fondacaro (March 3, 1844—1893) was an Italian captain from who crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Montevideo, Uruguay to Las Palmas, Spain on a boat that he made himself.

Early life

Fondacaro was born in Bagnara Calabra to a working class family. He started his career by joining the merchant navy. After working in the field for fifteen years, on 24th May 1876 Fondacaro was promoted to Navy Officer Captain in the Royal Navy of Italy.

Voyages

Following the Battle of Lissa, Fondacaro longed to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Montevideo to Las Palmas with a boat that he had made himself. The boat was called "Leone di Caprera" in honour of Giuseppe Garibaldi, measuring approximately 9m x 2.30m x 1.60m and weighing 3 tonnes. Fondacaro's crew included Pietro Zoccoli and Orlando Grassoni. On 19th September 1880 the "Leone di Caprera" set off from Montevideo. On 10 February 1881, the crew reached Castello di Farro. On 26th May 1881, the boat was towed to Livorno by an English vessel. Today, the "Leone di Caprera" can still be seen at the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milan.

On 30th May 1893, Fondacaro crossed the Atlantic again in a boat named "Cesare Cantù". This journey took him from Buenos Aires to Chicago. Fondacaro took Vincenzo Galasso, Vincenzo Sciplini, and Vincenzo Carrisi on the trip with him, forming the crew. It is reported when they arrived in Chicago, bystanders greeted them with a standing ovation. When they attempted their return to Buenos Aires, Fondacaro and his crew disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean.

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References

Lombardo, Maria (11 December 2013). "Vincenzo Fondacaro L'Emigrato Duosiciliano che Attraverso L'Atlantico" (in Italian). Retrieved 1 May 2017.

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