A coxed quad rowing crew is set to take on a mammoth task over the next few months, rowing from the bottom of Stewart Island and along the east coast of the country to Cape Reinga.
The first task — to row from South Cape at the bottom of Stewart Island to Bluff — began last Saturday. The crew got to Oban on Tuesday and after an early start, arrived at Bluff just before noon yesterday.
The row will then take a break for Christmas and holidays and reconvene on February 10 when the Rowing for Life Aotearoa NZ — a coastal rowing adventure — gets back in the water. It will head from Bluff to Cape Reinga with many stops along the way.
The row is a way to fundraise for various causes and has a hefty target of $5 million.
The adventure was the idea of Invercargill man Wayne Hamilton and a few of his mates from the Invercargill Rowing Club.
It will not be the one crew doing the whole row, so volunteers are sought from rowing clubs along the way as well as places to stay.
It is envisaged there will be 111 legs in the race, covering 3000km, taking about five months. Lions clubs around the country will be helping out.
Of course this is rowing so it all comes down to the weather and the wind.
It made an encouraging start around Stewart Island with a nine-hour row from Pegasus to Oban on Tuesday.
They had nine rowers who were swapping in and out of the coastal rowing boat.
Mr Hamilton said the boat sat well in the water but the waves they encountered were large.
"You are rowing in the coastal waves so it can be quite hectic. We had 4m waves to work through so you are rolling with it.
"We didn’t fall out as it is a good boat which sits in the water really well," he said.
"It has just been amazing — the whole journey. You see these incredible things. You are right down the bottom of the country. There is a different light, all the ruggedness you see. There is no vegetation for 15-20m along the cliffs as the spray and water just washes everything away."
There were plenty of seals, penguins and lots of other birds to see.
The body was a bit weary but he was used to it, he said. He has previously rowed as part of a quad over Cook Strait and Foveaux Strait.
Funds are being raised for the Lions Club Cancer Trust, Child Cancer, Starship Foundation and Surf Lifesaving NZ.
