Newsletter August 2007

Dutch adventurer, Ralph Tuijn, 35, is attempting to row 16,000 km (9,942 miles) unaided across the widest part of the Pacific Ocean, from Peru to Brisbane, Australia. He left Peru in March and so far he has been doing good, reaching the halfway mark of his journey early in July after 111 days of rowing. He expects to reach his final destination in September or October.

Tuijn relaxing in the Zeeman Challenger.

Tuijn sails the Zeeman Challenger, a 7 meter (23 ft) custom plywood vessel made by Tuijn himself. It has no motors or sails, but relies only on Tuijn’s physical rowing power. He is currently averaging about 58 km (36 miles) per day. The boat has a solar power system to provide energy for his laptop, a telephone, and a global positioning system.

The Zeeman Challenger under construction.

Tuijn has experienced a few difficulties along the way. He says hehas been constantly rammed by sharks. "A lot of shark violence again in the evening," he wrote a day after crossing the halfway mark. "With pauses of about an hour, four attacks were launched against the Zeeman Challenger. Of course the rudder was again the most beloved object. There was a brief pause, but when it was time to go to sleep the shark found it much too early and he cheerfully rammed against my little ship the whole night long." One particular shark, dubbed 'Gomulka' by Tuijn, has been trailing the adventurer's boat for extended periods. Tuijn also accidentally burnt himself when he spilled hot water on his foot whilst trying to make coffee, apparently also from a shark bump.

“Ha ha, a new record,” Tuijn says proudly after catching a huge Dorado.
“This one weighs about twenty kilos and measures 1.05 meters.”.

His automatic freshwater pump also broke not long into his journey, requiring him to physically pump for cooking and drinking water everyday. His diet consists of freeze-dried foods and fish, which are keeping him physically well-conditioned despite tiring mentally. "Physically everything feels great and I can't help feeling that I could do this for 500 days, but mentally it's still hard to be on your own for such a long time,” says Tuijn.

Tuijn, who is raising money for a children's home in Mumbai, India, is an experienced adventurer and rower. He has rowed across the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, and cycled across Russia and the icy terrain of Greenland.

Source: theage.com.au

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• Newsletter December 2007
• Newsletter November 2007
• Newsletter October 2007
• Newsletter September 2007
• Newsletter August 2007
• Newsletter July 2007
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