Aussies James Castrission and Justin Jones set off yesterday from Forster Marina Boat Ramp near Sydney in their quest to become the first people to propel themselves across the Tasman Sea, the body of water separating Australia and New Zealand.
Last winter, Andrew McCauley attempted to make the same journey solo and disappeared. If successful, Castrission and Jones’ trip would be the longest two-man kayak expedition to date. You can watch their progress in real time at their Web site.
They expect the crossing to take between 40 and 50 days. Why attempt such a journey, you might ask, when it’s such a long time to be looking at the same man’s backside? Shortly before departing, Castrission answered the question on his team’s blog:
“(We are) realising a childhood ambition and committing ourselves to achieving one of Australia´s last great first adventures……”
Rob Feloy, designer of Peter Bray´s kayak used in his Trans-Atlantic Crossing, designed their kayak. It includes sleeping quarters with room enough to cook and provide shelter in case of a storm. Look for more upadates at Paddling Life.
– With reporting from Grayson Schaffer