Kayak vs Tasman

[Priscilla II 392]

Not so sure this is such a great idea.

From memory Andrew Fagan came up the same part of the Southland coast in the fine ship Swirly World near the time the Aussie perished and said the sea was pretty damned big.

 

http://nzh.tw/12043636

[philstar 61]

at least he has a bit of a cabin rather than just a cover to pull over the cotpit.

And he's leaving from coffs rather than tasmania.

Still pretty dodgy I hope he doesn't have a family to leave behind like Andrew McAuley.

 

http://tasmankayak.com/

[waikiore 398]

With the windage on the current boat I think sailing across the Tasman may be more appropriate 

[erice 732]

 

so far

 

about 300km off port macquarie in the direction of lord howe

 

another 2000?km to new plymouth 

 

http://tasmankayak.com/tracking/

 

andrew mcauley was trying the shorter, rougher, colder, faster

 

tasmania to fiordland route in a stock? kayak with a clamp on bubble

 

 

this northern route is calmer and warmer 

 

but longer and less predictable

 

the tandem kayak that succeeded a few years ago

 

spent a week?

 

drifting around in a 300km? circle

 

but even when scott got picked up from his kayak last time within sight of egmont

 

the boat eventually finished the trip in 1 piece by itself

 

[erice 732]

looks like a good run to lord howe

 

http://tasmankayak.com/tracking/

[waikiore 398]

Has he met some good friends at Lord Howe or just enjoying the BBQ's and beer?

[MarkMT 68]

From his website:

 

 

Donaldson had initially intended on paddling past Lord Howe on his way to New Zealand, however with bad weather approaching, and in liaison with his team leader Nigel Escott, the decision was made to make a brief stop at Lord Howe Island.

 

 “He’s made such good progress, and with the bad weather front approaching the Lord Howe area on Saturday, it made sense to stop at Lord Howe and let it pass,” said Escott.

 

 “There is no point sitting out there in the bad weather and getting blown back to Australia. What every good mariner does if bad weather comes their way, they seek some shelter.”

 

 “It also gives Scott a good opportunity to check over the boat and to double check all systems are functioning properly.”

 

 As soon as the weather front passes, Donaldson will be on his way again.

[erice 732]

may as well have a tiki-tour

 

norfolk next?

[erice 732]

looks like he's been making his best distances

 

sheltering inside while being blown by a storm

 

http://tasmankayak.com/tracking/

 

"The progress so far has been about getting into the right position to utilise the south east current. In the next few days we'll see him veer to the right and start heading south," Escott said.

 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12059252

[Fish 0]

According to the Herald he is “about 1000km to the east of Cape Reinga.“

 

Who’s going to break that bit of bad news to him?

There is a reason you shouldn't read that newspaper.

I stopped reading it more than a year ago, never felt better. Even got my facts straight now...

[Island Time 1,232]

From Stuff:

 

A Kiwi kayaker fended off a shark attacking his rudder during his attempt to paddle across the Tasman solo.

 

Scott Donaldson is about halfway through the 2000km crossing between Australia and New Zealand.

 

TVNZ reported that Donaldson had spoken to his wife Sarah via satellite phone.

 

She told TVNZ he was in good spirits, and he was pleased with how far he had travelled.

 

As well as the rough sea conditions, Donaldson had also had an encounter with an aggressive shark.

 

"He had a 2.5m shark chasing him the other day trying to bite the rudder," Sarah told TVNZ.

 

"Scott would stop paddling and the shark backed off but then once he resumed paddling, the shark would chase him again. The rudder is intact, thank goodness."

 

Donaldson had to be rescued from the Taranaki Coast in his 2014 crossing attempt which finished after 84 days.

 

Donaldson had been paddling half the Tasman with an unrepairable rudder, sitting out a once in 40-year storm, and looking at Mount Taranaki 80km off the coast of New Zealand before protocol dictated it unsafe to continue.

 

Donaldson is covering around 30km a day.

 

With his trans-Tasman kayak attempt, Donaldson is raising awareness about asthma, a condition from which he suffers.

 

From Stuff

[erice 732]

that ugly northern route

 

does it again

 

[erice 732]

looks like he's done his loop now

 

not much fun getting smacked around by this weather

 

http://tasmankayak.com/tracking/

[John B 106]

Geeze, Wanganella banks coming up, whatever the sea state was, its going to be worse.

[muzled 140]

Sounds like he's almost there.

 

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/360876/first-trans-tasman-kayaker-scott-donaldson-nears-land-after-two-months

 

Wonder if he's spent the whole time thinking about 'what next'...

[erice 732]

supposed to be about 6pm tonight