Try again for Trans-Tasman rower
A Taranaki-born extreme adventurer has not let the disappointment of failing in his first attempt to row solo across the Tasman stop him from conquering his overall challenge.
In November Grant ‘‘Axe’’ Rawlinson spent days trapped inside his capsized boat being blown hundreds of kilometres off course by a storm while attempting the 3000 kilometre crossing as part of his goal to travel 12,000km from Singapore to Stratford using only human power.
Rawlinson, who has spent 20 years living in Singapore, was home for Christmas and took the opportunity to visit the Taranaki rescue helicopter crew, who have helped him prepare for the journey, and who he was fundraising for during his Home to Home expedition.
He had set out on his epic journey on January 3, 2017, and with the help of Englishman Charlie Smith had rowed 4500km from Singapore to Darwin.
He then cycled for another
4500km to reach Coffs Harbour,
300km south of Brisbane, where he set off to row to New Plymouth.
However 13 days into the trip things went horribly wrong for the
43-year-old.
‘‘I got hit by a big storm and it capsized the boat and pushed me into a current stream which took me in the wrong direction and for the next five days I couldn’t get off that current stream.’’
Rawlinson, who has previously climbed Mt Everest and walked, cycled and kayaked from Ruapehu to the top of Mt Cook, had to spend
70 to 80 hours locked in his cabin, at the mercy of the elements, which he described as an ‘‘emotional rollercoaster’’.
‘‘It was really hard to keep positive.’’
He ended up 400km offshore and hundreds of kilometres off course and with the weather forecast against him Rawlinson decided to abandon his attempt.
However he hasn’t let the experience put him off and is already planning his second attempt while being assisted back to shore.
‘‘As I came back in, on the last six days I was just going through what I would change.
‘‘There’s absolutely no way that I am going to give up just because I didn’t make it on my first attempt. I never climbed Cook or Everest on my first attempt either.’’
His boat, Simpson’s Donkey, suffered superficial damage and is being repaired in Brisbane.
Rawlinson will again set out on his quest of rowing solo across the Tasman Sea later this year but plans to start earlier and leave from further south on the Australian Coast, near the Roaring Forties.
‘‘The sea’s cold and it’s as rough as guts but the wind blows in the right direction generally.’’
He said he had a much better idea of how to plan his strategy for the second attempt but was under no illusion about how tough the task would be.
‘‘Mentally being in a row boat by myself, going backwards and upside down, was much tougher than Everest but physically Everest was probably tougher.’’
In 2012 Rawlinson first began raising funds for the rescue helicopter when the crew were involved in saving his sister, Debra Avery’s, life after a horrific car crash.
He raised $27,000 from his successful ascent of Mt Everest for the trust and so far has raised $3900 for the service on his latest expedition. ‘‘They are a great bunch of guys and girls who I have got to know now.’’
Rawlinson said the crew were adventurous people themselves and they had been helping him put risk management plans in place for his crossing.
General manager Andy Cronin said they were impressed by the depth of Rawlinson’s preparedness and his willingness to absorb any information he could.
‘‘That sits well with us and what we do,’’ Cronin said.
‘‘The rescue helicopter business is all about being prepared and having ‘tools in the box’ to enable you to safely adapt to any situation.’’
Cronin said the trust was grateful he was again raising funds for the service.
When Rawlinson arrives in Taranaki he will cycle 40km to his parents’ home in Stratford to complete his goal.