on Saturday, August 12. After two days' rest, he finished his voyage by sailing into Liverpool on August 21, 1876, to an enthusiastic reception. Johnson received some attention for his feat, and his boat was exhibited in Liverpool for several months; he was thereafter known as Alfred "Centennial" Johnson. When asked late in life why he had done it, he said "I made that trip because I was a damned fool, just as they said I was." Johnson's voyage was the first recorded single-handed crossing of the Atlantic, and perhaps the first major single-handed passage carried out in the spirit of adventure. References Johnson wanted to prove he could do it alone, by Greg Cook Alfred "Centennial" Johnson, Rob Morris; Y Crofft, 2003. External links American sailors Danish sailors Single-handed sailors 1846 births 1927 deaths People from Gloucester, Massachusetts