L O S T A T S E A
Andrew McAuley was one day from finishing the first crossing from Australia to New Zealand—then he disappeared.
WHAT BROUGHT DOWN THE WORLD’S BRAVEST KAYAKER? BY VIRGINIA MARSHALL
T
HE STORM BLEW RELENTLESSLY, transform- ing the Southern Ocean into a heaving sea of mercury. An endless procession of waves ap-
peared on one horizon and vanished on the other, their tops blown sideways into a stinging spray by the howling wind. Amidst the tyranny of the ocean, an insignificant red speck struggled to hold its own. Inside the kayak, An- drew McAuley fought his own battle—to stay calm. One night at the end of January, 2007, two-thirds through a 1,600-kilometre (1,000-mile) open ocean crossing be- tween the east coast of Tasmania and New Zealand’s South Island, McAuley entered the 28th hour locked up in his kayak as the storm raged. Many days later, with the nightmare storm behind him,
the seas relatively calm, and the mountaintops of New Zealand’s Southern Alps close enough to see on the ho- rizon, McAuley disappeared. His family, friends and the worldwide paddling community were left with a mystery.
Why did such an experienced paddler, so close to the fin- ish of such a difficult journey, allow himself to be caught off guard? What could have happened? Andrew McAuley made no false pretences about
what motivated him to cross the Tasman Sea alone in a conventional touring kayak. It was an adventure for adventure’s sake, a response to a deeply felt inner voice. “I guess I’m really drawn to a journey like this—it’s a real personal challenge. There’s a great deal of satisfaction in coming up with an adventure that’s unlikely and improb- able,” he told ABC radio before the journey. The crossing was not a frivolous notion; only two previous attempts had been made, both by New Zealander Paul Caffyn, both unsuccessful. McAuley spent nearly 10 years preparing for the trip.
He completed three crossings from Australia to Tasmania via the notorious Bass Strait, as well as a solo, seven-day traverse of Australia’s treacherous Gulf of Carpentaria,
ADVENTURE KAYAK |
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ILLUSTRATION: ROBERT BIRON
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