Idaho Eyes Are On Oregon Man Who Quit Job, Sailing To Hawaii With Cat

An Oregon man who recently left corporate America to sail to Hawaii with his cat Phoenix has captured the attention of the world, including folks in Idaho. The kicker is that he'd never sailed in open waters before starting the 2,500-mile journey.

Oliver Widger became an overnight sensation when he announced to the world on his Instagram page a couple of weeks ago that he quit his 11-year job at a tire company and used his 401k to buy a sailboat with plans of navigating the ocean from Oregon to Hawaii with no prior sailing experience.

Widger has received financial support for his quest from across the United States to the tune of more than $67,000 on his GoFundMe page. He receives hundreds of friendly messages of support each day, including a few from those following his story from the Gem State via his social media sites.

Oregon Man With No Sailing Experience Headed To Hawaii With Cat

Widger has his sights set on Honolulu and is more than halfway there since departing Warrenton, Oregon, on April 25, 2025. 'Sailing with Phoenix' is the name he gave to his social media sites where he updates his more than one million followers (including me) with the help of satellites above.

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To track the novice boat captain's adventure via GPS, click here. Widger has already had his share of stressful encounters since hitting the open sea, including locking himself beneath a hatch and awaking to a busted rudder which he had to fix.