Stranded Polish sailor Stan Rutkowski has thanked the people of Bermuda for their hospitality saying it has made up for three weeks he spent struggling at sea.

Mr. Rutkowski's 28ft yacht Lucyfer ran aground at Cooper's Island on Tuesday after he mistook the Island for a port.

He spoke with The Royal Gazette with the help of Jerek Skreta and his wife, who offered to be interpreters.

The 54-year-old taxi driver from Wroclaw, Poland said he saw the vessel listed for sale on the Internet and thought it was a good deal, so he flew to the British Virgin Island of Tortola to finalise the deal.

Mr. Rutkowski said: "I have always been attracted to the Caribbean, I saw it as a vacation I wanted to add a little excitement to my life."

His plan was to sail the vessel from Tortola back to Poland via Bermuda and the Açores. Mr. Rutkowski said: "About 830 miles out, the engine failed and I lost all the navigation controls. The battery was weak and eventually died. I had to sail the rest of the way. The only thing I had was a compass."

Mr. Rutkowski said he encountered two storms the second one damaging his main sail. "After the second storm, my sail was completely damaged. I had a reserve sail but it doesn't fit well as it is for a different boat," said the amateur sailor.

According to a duty officer at Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre, the voyage from Tortola to Bermuda should only take about two weeks to complete.

Mr. Rutkowski left Tortola on February 25 and arrived on the Island on Tuesday.

He attributed his extended voyage to the yacht's malfunction, the two storms and his difficulty in keeping direction.

"After the battery died, I only had a compass to navigate with, and I didn't have any light at night so I would lower the sails and basically drift for the night and try to find my way again in the morning," he said.

He added: "I was not scared while I was at sea. I have a big family and I felt everybody was praying for me."

Mr. Rutkowski said he had intended changing the name of the boat when he returned to Poland from Lucyfer to Sophie his wife's name. Mr. Rutkowski said for the last two weeks he had to survive on dry food and juice, as this was all he had left to eat and drink. When asked if he felt that he was sold a faulty vessel, the Polish man said: "I'm a mature man and I take full responsibility.

"I don't think the guy tried to cheat me. It just failed. I didn't realised the boat would have failed so quickly."

He said he contacted Harbour Radio when he saw the Island. He mistakenly thought Cooper's Island was a port and because of the rough seas he crashed into the rocks. When Lucyfer arrived she was assisted by firefighters who helped bail the water out.

Mr. Rutkowski said many people have offered him assistance by letting him shower at their homes and offering him lodging.

"I have met many people who are helping me to fix my boat so that I may carry on home."

Mr. Rutkowski said he doesn't have a problem continuing on his voyage to Poland but is considering selling the yacht as it has extensive physical damage and he has had an offer to buy from a local. I met someone who is interested in buying the boat from me and I am considering flying back home," he said.

Mr. Rutkowski added: "I am so grateful for the hospitality of the Bermuda people. They have been warm and helpful. The people here are unbelievable.

"My three weeks of struggling to stay above water have been rewarded by the people of Bermuda and what I've experienced."