The stage is set for the round 3 battle with the Tasman Sea to begin.

Within the next few days I will depart Australia once again in my third attempt to finish off the Rowing from Home to Home expedition, a journey from Singapore to New Zealand completely by human power.  I have currently travelled for 164 days covering 11,700km since leaving Singapore on the 3rd January 2017.

I have made 2 solo attempts to finish the expedition with the final stage of crossing the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand.  The first a 24 day 2,200km effort last year which ended when I was washed back into the coast of Australia further away from New Zealand than where I departed!  The second attempt was in August and October this year which I aborted on day four due to some critical equipment breaking onboard and I was subsequently picked up by helicopter.

I have made a number of changes to the plan for round 3.  Strengthening the boat in key areas, changing the para anchor set-up, waiting for slightly warmer temperatures and also bringing a second ‘engine’ in the form of Luke Richmond onboard as a team mate.  I have known Luke for sometime, and with his previous adventure track record and experience level, the fact that like me he is a ‘back country boy’, and coupled with his ability to join at very short notice, I am very privileged to have him onboard – let’s see if he feels the same way at the end of the journey!  You can read more about Luke here.

Luke Richmond on his four-person Atlantic Crossing

I thought long and hard about this decision, and even though I very much still want to make the crossing solo, I believe having a second rower in my boat will increase the probability of success by around 20%.  And at this stage of the expedition, with the bigger goal in sight of completing the first human-powered journey from Singapore to New Zealand, and a team who have been extremely supportive and patient to date, I want to give everyone the best chance of finishing the expedition on the third attempt. And as a good friend told me recently – “Only donkey’s don’t change their minds”.

Currently we are focussing on preparations, planning and risk protocols.  Our departure will be very shortly, it will be as low-key as possible, and we will start updating more once out on the water.

If you are interested to follow the progress – then updates will be posted through this website, in the form of written blogs and voice posts from the Satellite phone.  The blogs will also be shared on the expedition facebook page here.  You can also see our position in real-time, updated on a 10 minute basis from the MAP link above.

In the meantime – please enjoy the artistic talent of Sarah Steenland who captured the second attempt’s failure and the plan for round 3 in such a beautiful, clever and humorous way!

Over and out,

Captain Axe.