Kayaker tries to cross Tasman, again

Four years ago Scott Donaldson spent 84 days at sea in a kayak in an attempt to paddle from Australia to New Zealand, but, with Mt Taranaki in his sights, he was forced to abort.

On Wednesday Donaldson, now 47, departed Coffs Harbour, Australia, in another attempt to become the first person to successfully kayak solo across the Tasman Sea.

Donaldson, who calls himself an adventurer, plans to make landfall on the Taranaki coast – a distance of 2200 kilometres – although because of the conditions he will likely paddle 3000km.

In 2014 Donaldson came agonisingly close to completing the trip. He’d paddled half the Tasman with an unrepairable rudder, sat in a once-in-40-year storm and, when he was 80 kilometres off the coast of New Zealand, the attempt had to be aborted.

The Taranaki Daily News reported at the time that Donaldson had called it quits after suffering head and chest injuries in what he said was the ‘‘nastiest night’’ he had experienced in almost three months at sea.

When asked how long he thought the trip would take, Donaldson said he just hoped it would be faster than the last.

‘‘I’m not predicting. It’s the Tasman, that’s why it’s hard. Eighty-four days last time so quicker than that,’’ he said.

‘‘This time around it’s about that last 80km that didn’t get done last time, it’s about finishing the job off.’’

He told crowds before he set off that he was keen to get out on the water: ‘‘Feeling amped, chomping at the bit to get out there.’’

Donaldson has spent months preparing for the attempt and waiting for the right weather.

‘‘Pulling all the gear together has been a bigger task than it sounds, so now it’s just about getting out of the gate,’’ he said. ‘‘We had to wait a while for the weather, but it’s come, so we’ll use it.

Having a child with asthma, and having it himself, inspired Donaldson to add a charitable aspect to his mission – he has linked with Asthma New Zealand and Australia.

‘‘I want to raise awareness for asthma,’’ Donaldson said. ‘‘I have it, my son has it, so we want to encourage all asthmatics to get out there.’’

Donaldson will communicate by satellite phone with his shore team, with text messages about the weather and daily check-ins with his team leader, Nigel Escott, at base. His progress can be followed at tasmankayak.com.