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An innovative and adventurous fundraiser is planned that involves a four-person crew rowing around the whole east coast of the country, including stops locally at Red Beach and Ōrewa Surf Lifesaving Clubs.
Ian Hamilton of Invercargill, having already rowed with three others across Foveaux Strait, in 2010, and Cook Strait (2016), is the instigator of the challenge.
Along the way, he and those who row with and support him, will raise funds for four charities – Surf Lifesaving NZ, Lions Clubs NZ Mobile Skin Cancer Screening Service, the Child Cancer Foundation and Starship Children’s Hospital.
At this stage, the plan is to start the coastal row adventure on December 2, rowing from the South Cape of Stewart Island to Bluff, then Bluff to Cape Reinga next year from February to July.
Rowers from all over the country will be tag teaming during the event.
The crew is expected to arrive in Red Beach and Ōrewa on its way north, around mid-June. They will row in a quad Coastal Rowing Boat, averaging 40km per day, weather and sea permitting. There is support crew in a fishing boat.
Surf Lifesaving Clubs’ inflatable rescue boats from each area will be used to swap rowers in and out, with spare rowers, from the support boats. Waka Ama and Surf Boats may also rowing alongside when conditions permit.
Along the way, Lions Clubs are main points of contact, holding events and being available to support at landing sites. They will also arrange fundraisers in the form of meetups, visits by Olympic rowers, presentations to schools and so on.
As things progress, there will be further stories on local events in this newspaper.
