The physical aspect to this feat is astonishing, but the mental fortitude to have pulled this off is beyond admirable.....this guy is a hero.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Trans-Tasman-rower-...15/Default.aspx

I remember when his dad did it 30 years ago, NZ to Oz....officially/technically he didn't make it as the surf swamped his boat about 100 metres off Australia. 100 metres! Poor guy.

To be alone, in all weather, 1000 kilometres from land and relying soley on your own strength to propel you forward....the guy is a legend. It's about 2000 km. With drift taken into account, he's probably rowed 3000 km in the last 2 months.

I knew Qantas was expensive but.....

I can't understand these twerps who go on these ridiculous one-person 'adventures'. Not all of them make it and quite a few of them tax the resources of nations in whose neighbourhood they happen to be when the balloon goes up (or comes down, as the case may be). As I see it, they fit in the mold of self-centred egotists who don't care what problems they cause to others (as well as grief to their loved ones) simply for their 15 minutes in the spotlight.

I can't understand these twerps who go on these ridiculous one-person 'adventures'. Not all of them make it and quite a few of them tax the resources of nations in whose neighbourhood they happen to be when the balloon goes up (or comes down, as the case may be). As I see it, they fit in the mold of self-centred egotists who don't care what problems they cause to others (as well as grief to their loved ones) simply for their 15 minutes in the spotlight.

I agree with you...when they are ill-prepared, and do it for self-indulgent bravado.

This chap though has planned for years, and has his own arrangements for any emergencies.....for example he capsised a month ago. The boat self-righted, but his desalination machine was damaged and he soon ran out of water. The aircraft that made a water drop was not tax-payer funded.

He is raising money and awareness for surf life savers....this is a charity drive.

I can't understand these twerps who go on these ridiculous one-person 'adventures'. Not all of them make it and quite a few of them tax the resources of nations in whose neighbourhood they happen to be when the balloon goes up (or comes down, as the case may be). As I see it, they fit in the mold of self-centred egotists who don't care what problems they cause to others (as well as grief to their loved ones) simply for their 15 minutes in the spotlight.

I agree with you...when they are ill-prepared, and do it for self-indulgent bravado.

This chap though has planned for years, and has his own arrangements for any emergencies.....for example he capsised a month ago. The boat self-righted, but his desalination machine was damaged and he soon ran out of water. The aircraft that made a water drop was not tax-payer funded.

He is raising money and awareness for surf life savers....this is a charity drive.

A few years back, an Ockor guy, (I thinx) tried the same trip to NZ.

Was lost just as he was about to reach the south island.

This bloke was lucky.

Probably just another kiwi trying to get onto aussie welfare

Probably just another kiwi trying to get onto aussie welfare

He made it this afternoon.....looking buff and well.

It was a monumental feat. The solitude, the physicality, the mental determination.....I say it beats conquering Everest, and any other athletic/physical challenge ever. (That I can think of).

Probably just another kiwi trying to get onto aussie welfare

Naaaaaah, Ockor bludger trying to get onto Kiwi A.C.C. no fault insurance.

Takes 2 years befor Ocker welfare becomes available, mizribl shitz Howard and Co.

Probably just another kiwi trying to get onto aussie welfare

I thought that was his father.

This guy was going the other way - had enough of Aussie sheilas, heading for the NZ sheep.

Probably just another kiwi trying to get onto aussie welfare

I thought that was his father.

This guy was going the other way - had enough of Aussie sheilas, heading for the NZ sheep.

Good point. Take that ND.

Andrew McAuley (1968 - presumed dead 2007) was an Australian adventurer. He is best known for his mountaineering and sea kayaking in remote parts of the world. He is presumed to have died following his disappearance at sea while attempting to kayak 1600 km across the Tasman Sea in February 2007. - wiki

Crossing the Ditch was the effort of adventurers Justin Jones and James Castrission to become the first to cross the Tasman Sea and travel from Australia to New Zealand by sea kayak.

Setting off from Forster, New South Wales on November 13, 2007 in their custom-designed kayak Lot 41, the two-man expedition succeeded where previous attempts, including the fatal journey of Andrew McAuley, had been unsuccessful. They arrived at Ngamotu Beach, in New Plymouth, New Zealand on January 13, 2008.

In March 2009 Sarah Outen, the 24-year old British woman set out from Fremantle, Australia in an attempt to row solo across the Indian Ocean. Shortly after that start, she ran into equipment trouble and had to be towed back to shore, but within days, she was back out on the water, and now, more than four months later, she has finished her quest, reaching Mauritius, off the coast of Africa, late yesterday.

Over the course of the past few months at sea, Sarah has endured all kinds of hardships, including nasty storms, winds that actually pushed her backwards, 30 foot waves, and days of solitude at the oars. In fact, after setting out from Australia, she literally went weeks before seeing another ship.

Sarah had hoped to set a new speed record in her solo crossing by reaching Mauritius in less than 107 days, but the inclement weather worked against her, preventing that achievement. She did become the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean however, and the first woman to do so as well.

Last year they also held an Indian Ocean rowing race from Aus to Mauritious, about twice as far as the paddle across the ditch.

There's a bit of difference between a kayak and a specially designed row boat.

Probably just another kiwi trying to get onto aussie welfare

I thought that was his father.

This guy was going the other way - had enough of Aussie sheilas, heading for the NZ sheep.

Good point. Take that ND.

Ur preaching to the converted

Andrew McAuley (1968 - presumed dead 2007) was an Australian adventurer. He is best known for his mountaineering and sea kayaking in remote parts of the world. He is presumed to have died following his disappearance at sea while attempting to kayak 1600 km across the Tasman Sea in February 2007. - wiki

Crossing the Ditch was the effort of adventurers Justin Jones and James Castrission to become the first to cross the Tasman Sea and travel from Australia to New Zealand by sea kayak.

Setting off from Forster, New South Wales on November 13, 2007 in their custom-designed kayak Lot 41, the two-man expedition succeeded where previous attempts, including the fatal journey of Andrew McAuley, had been unsuccessful. They arrived at Ngamotu Beach, in New Plymouth, New Zealand on January 13, 2008.

In March 2009 Sarah Outen, the 24-year old British woman set out from Fremantle, Australia in an attempt to row solo across the Indian Ocean. Shortly after that start, she ran into equipment trouble and had to be towed back to shore, but within days, she was back out on the water, and now, more than four months later, she has finished her quest, reaching Mauritius, off the coast of Africa, late yesterday.

Over the course of the past few months at sea, Sarah has endured all kinds of hardships, including nasty storms, winds that actually pushed her backwards, 30 foot waves, and days of solitude at the oars. In fact, after setting out from Australia, she literally went weeks before seeing another ship.

Sarah had hoped to set a new speed record in her solo crossing by reaching Mauritius in less than 107 days, but the inclement weather worked against her, preventing that achievement. She did become the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean however, and the first woman to do so as well.

Last year they also held an Indian Ocean rowing race from Aus to Mauritious, about twice as far as the paddle across the ditch.

There's a bit of difference between a kayak and a specially designed row boat.

I was not aware of Indian Ocean crossings. !!!!!!!

.....Huge kudos to all of them.

There's an interesting series of podcasts being done by Roz Savage as she rows from the US to Australia solo.

http://twit.tv/roz

This guy was going the other way - had enough of Aussie sheilas, heading for the NZ sheep.

At least the latter gets shorn once a year

There's an interesting series of podcasts being done by Roz Savage as she rows from the US to Australia solo.

http://twit.tv/roz

WHAT A WOMAN!!!! What a human being.

Even though she's doing it in stages.....the first leg US to Hawaii, 90 days!!!AWESOME!!!

I'm gobsmacked. These are the people that should be celebrated....not actors and singers.

Great to see on the news tonite, his dad back from Darwin.

Two men who rowed the Tasman, together, amazing coupla guys.