ZOC RSS FEEDwww.zeemanoceanchallenge.com ZOCen PRESSRELEASE: Dutch Ocean rower Ralph Tuijn safely arrives in Papua New Guinea http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2452 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:09:00 +0200 After what proved to be an extra couple of nerve-racking days at sea Dutchman Ralph Tuijn finally made it to the port of Rabaul on the island of New Britain (PNG). Tuijn, who aimed to row from Peru to Brisbane, Australia, was pushed north into the Solomon sea by ocean currents and prevailing winds. Navigating a 1200 lbs ocean rowing boat through the shallow coral reefs and numerous islands was asking for trouble and Tuijn decided a week ago that he would need a tow to a safe harbor. Fortunately Mr. Peter Sharp of the Rabaul Shipping Company was willing to send a boat out to tow Tuijn to the harbor of Rabaul.
 
The boat was however unable to rendezvous with Tuijn last Monday. Due to heavy thunderstorms and the closing in of darkness the attempt was aborted. Tuijn had n... ]]> Pick-up successful! Ralph on board Alatu Queen. http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2450 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:35:00 +0200 Update for 16th July, 19:00 (local time in New Britain).

“You can probably hear it: an engine! No, it doesn't belong to the Zeeman Challenger as it's an ocean rowing boat and doesn't have one. This is the strong and powerful engine of the Alatu Queen, which has taken me into tow. The boat reached me just after five o'clock, and we were very busy securing the ropes and making sure the tow would go smoothly. The sea was nice and calm, which made a wonderful start to the journey, and my boat is now in tow behind the Alatu Queen. It's ever so big, this ferry boat that's been sent out all this way to tow me. I wouldn't like to think how much an operation like this costs. It's absolutely terrific that Peter Sharp's been able to send it, and he's been so helpful in making it all ... ]]> Daily report for 12th July: reached a milestone http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2437 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:47:00 +0200 “It was another calm day for the wind again today. Early in the morning, or actually towards the end of the night as it was about 4am, a particularly annoying little breeze came along. It had got worse by the morning too, and I was thinking it could only get worse, but no, it died down again to wind force 1, where it still is now (late in the evening). Well, if there are ripples in the water and you can see the boat being pushed back by the current, it’s very difficult to make those miles towards the last stage of the journey in the north.”

... ]]> Daily report for 11th July http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2434 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:31:00 +0200 “The wind died down completely yesterday; there was none at all. And there’s still none now, 24 hours later: not a single breath of wind or ripple on the water. The sea is like one huge mirror. And then there’s the sun hanging there above you in this windless weather, with no shade at all so it’s boiling hot, and you soon find yourself getting through ten litres of liquid on a day like that.”

... ]]> Daily Report 10 July http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2421 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:00:00 +0200 In yesterday’s reports, Ralph told us in detail about his eating and drinking pattern. The report we received from him today tells us that he had forgotten to mention the most important thing in his summary - and that is the pick-me-up powder Universal Nutrition Creaplex. Made with water it appears to be a jewel of a pick-me-up. You can tell from Ralph’s words that it’s like a drug. Take it when you feel completely down and you’re immediately wide awake and feel as though you can take on the whole world.

... ]]> Daily Report 9 July http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2419 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:00:00 +0200 I’ve been rowing straight across the waves for more than a week now in order to keep the right course to the North. So that I can get into that reasonably safe channel for a tow to a safe harbour. But it’s very difficult to keep on course. The wind dropped this morning and came back in the afternoon. Luckily it was a wind from the South-East, which put me in a straight line to the North. It’s looking a bit better again and the hope is growing that I won’t veer onto the coast where landing would be very risky. And once I’ve landed I’m certain I’ll be met by a lot of crocodiles.

... ]]> Daily Report 8 July http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2414 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:58:00 +0200 “It was a very hot day today. I’m drinking a double amount of water. It felt even hotter as there were fewer waves and less wind. The current is the same as it has been for days: highly dubious, zigzagging backwards and forwards during the day between 280 and 330 degrees. So I’m still in the area where you ask yourself: what’s the current going to do? It still has to split in front of New Britain, towards the channel where I want and have to go, and towards the West where I absolutely do not want to go, because that really is the most dangerous bit, with all that coral and reef.”

... ]]> Daily report 6 July http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2405 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:50:00 +0200  “It was another fine sunny day today. A few clouds, but the sun often came through, which was welcome, as I slept in a wet mess last night. I slept badly in other words. It was possible to get everything a bit dry again, but it wasn’t easy, as waves were slopping regularly over the side on to the deck. First it was a bit dry and then a bit wet again, but I was able to dry the sleeping bags reasonably well, so I think it’ll be better than last night. Although… I’m now lying on a sleeping bag and I can feel the worst blisters burning again on my behind.”

... ]]> Daily Report 5 July http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2401 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:35:00 +0200 “Contact again today of course with Incipit Expeditie Management, the base camp. This contact will be daily from now on, because the end is approaching. It’s going to get very exciting and the challenge is naturally to get things to go as smoothly as possible. The plan is that I am to try to row into the George channel, between New Britain and New Ireland, on the East side. The inhabited world is on the North side and there’s a big harbour to the North-East, which I cannot reach alone, but which is popular with divers and tourists because of the 100-odd wrecks from the Second World War left after a Japanese bombardment. There are a lot of diving schools with lots of boats and base camp is trying to arrange a boat, whi... ]]> Daily Report 4 July http://www.zeemanoceanchallenge.com/news.php?id=2399 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:29:00 +0200 “I said to base camp yesterday that we’d have to cut some knots. What’s it going to be? It was lousy weather this morning. It rained, squalls came along, the wind blew first one way and then the other, and I sat there looking. What am I going to do now, where am I, what’s going to happen? Finally, in the afternoon, I decided to go to an island a little to the North-West, instead of a place called Lae on the mainland of Papua New Guinea.”

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