Man Paddles Across Yangtze, Cuts Daily Commute to Just 6 Minutes

By Matthew Bossons

Hate getting stuck in traffic on your way to work? So does 29-year-old Liu Fucao, a Chongqing resident who paddles across the Yangtze River twice each day to travel to and from work.

According to People’s Daily Online, Liu has been making the cross-river commute on his stand-up paddleboard (SUP) for over 18 months. He initially decided to start paddling to work because the bridge linking the north and south sides of the river has been undergoing maintenance since last summer and the ferry across the river experiences long lines.

“It’s a little more than 1,000 meters [across the river], but if I drive my car, I have to take detours to get to work,” said Liu in an interview with Pear Video. “It took me six minutes to cross the river. There are some waves today, so I was slower.”

Liu, who works in Chongqing’s Wanzhou District as an insurance salesman, reportedly carries his laptop and jacket in a dry bag and makes the trip on a professional paddleboard. When he arrives on the other side of the river each morning, he pulls out his work suit and shoes and walks to the office carrying his board.

While Liu’s wife used to worry about his unquestionably unique method of commuting to work, she now takes solace in her husband’s experience and safety equipment, according to People’s Daily Online. Having been an avid paddleboarder for the past two years, Liu has taken part in competitions and voluntary rescue operations on his SUP and uses both a lifejacket and ankle-to-board tether.

Watch Liu make his cross-river journey below:

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?width=500&height=375&auto=0&vid=l08388mzkka

[Cover image via Chongqing Evening News]

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