Lebanese explorer and Global Rescue member Maxime Chaya is considered a national hero for his long career of adventures, providing inspiration to Lebanese youth to dream big and reach their goals. In 2006, he was the first Lebanese to climb Mount Everest, followed by skiing to both Poles. Chaya and two teammates set a new world speed record last summer for rowing across the Indian Ocean in under 58 days. Through Expedition RIO (short for Rowing the Indian Ocean), they became the first team of three to successfully row any ocean.

“I’m so happy we didn’t have to make use of Global Rescue’s services,” said Maxime. “At one point, it was a serious option.”

Chaya spoke with us about his record-breaking trip and the forces which shaped his adventurous spirit.

How did you first become involved in rowing? 

I rowed for my university, the London School of Economics, on an eight man team. That was back in my early twenties. The first time I heard about ocean rowing was in 2008 while I was training before a North Pole trek.  It was at a training camp at Loch Tay in Scotland and there was a group of British athletes who were also training, only to row the Atlantic. The idea of ocean rowing was planted in my head back then. 

What do you love about it?

It’s really just the adventure. And that can be anything — just embarking on a new adventure is a great feeling.  I haven’t really recovered from my last adventure and here I am already thinking about a new one.  There comes a time when, if you don’t have an adventure to carry out or a ‘summit to climb,’ so to speak, then you feel that life is empty. For me, coming from Lebanon and with my ancestors being the Phoenicians who first roamed the seas several thousand years ago, that must have attracted me towards the ocean, and I suppose sooner or later, ocean rowing was inevitably going to figure on my agenda.

What was the greatest moment of the RIO trip?

Undoubtedly August 5^th, the day we hit land.  We were tired and I had lost about 12 kilograms of body weight.  Our chart plotter hadn’t been working and it was no longer communicating with the autopilot. We had been steering somewhat manually and the last day it had to be completely manual. There were coral reefs, it was pitch dark, and my teammates were so exhausted they wanted to kill me, their skipper at the helm.  I had to steer against the wind at one point when we made the final approach towards Cap Malheureux in Mauritius.  Several boats had run aground at that spot and it reminded me of how many before us had failed, so close to the goal. When we reached land, I congratulated my teammates, then jumped overboard and hugged my daughter, girlfriend, niece and sister. I then tried to take the Yellowbrick [which was clocking our journey] a few yards inland so that the Ocean Rowing Society could stop the time and grant us the speed record. Trying to walk fast, I fell a few times. After two months at sea, without standing up too often, I had to learn to walk again.

You are involved not only in rowing but in climbing and skiing. How do you commit to so many different and impressive accomplishments?  

What drives me is setting a goal that is seemingly impossible and working hard to achieve it.  Success against all odds gives me — and many others, I think — a great sense of satisfaction. This is especially so when there are naysayers. When I decided to climb the Seven Summits, I wanted to prove to myself that I could have fulfilled my dream of becoming a professional athlete had I not come from a country at war.  Whether it be climbing, skiing, biking or rowing, I enjoy laying out a plan and carrying it out in order to stand on that particular summit. 

Which is your favorite record to hold?

As for choosing one accomplishment, it’s like having kids — it’s hard to say which one you like more.  Everest is Everest and the North Pole is the North Pole. However, the Indian Ocean success was like a gift from heaven, being able to finish so well and so quickly.  My favorite, though, is to inspire the youth of Lebanon to pull out the athlete, the artist, the scientist, the poet, or whatever it is that resides within them. I hope that, if they see me succeed, they will realize that they too can fulfill their dreams and stand on the summit of their chosen ‘Everest.’

How do you feel about being considered a national hero?  Do you, in part, do all that you do for your country?

I never thought my actions would lead to [being considered a hero] but now that the youth see me in that light, I need to act that way, whether I am or not.  Nothing is easy, but nothing is impossible.  A lot of our youth use the ongoing turmoil in my country [Lebanon] and region, as an excuse to be lazy.  I try to inspire them to be the best they can be no matter what is going on around them.

Do you have any other big adventure plans for the future?

As I said earlier, though I’m still recovering from my last adventure, I am beginning to plan out my next one, but a lot of it is still unsure.  I don’t want to reveal anything just yet. For sure, I will purchase a Global Rescue membership, and like with any coverage bought, I hope I will never have to use it.