A Dunedin technology company has teamed up with two trans-Tasman kayakers to provide them with tracking equipment for their journey.
Australians James Castrission and Justin Jones departed Sydney Harbour today with a goal of reaching Auckland in about six weeks.
If the 2200km trip is successful, it will
be the first ever kayak expedition between the two countries.
Australian adventurer Andrew McAuley, 39, attempted the same journey in February but disappeared about 65km off Milford Sound, apparently after being flipped out of his kayak.
His body was never found, despite an exhaustive search and rescue mission.
Tracking company Daestra New Zealand is sponsoring the new expedition and has fitted the double kayak with a TracPlus satellite tracking terminal.
Chief executive Chris Hinch said the device automatically reports the position of the kayak every 10 minutes to Daestra's data centre in Sydney.
From there, data is delivered to New Zealand and Australian maritime and aviation rescue authorities, as well as the expedition website so anyone can monitor their position.
Castrission said it was comforting to know that the guesswork would be eliminated if a rescue attempt had to be made.
Castrission, 25, and Jones, 24, are no strangers to adventure, having already crossed the volatile Bass Strait between the Australian mainland and Tasmania.
They also both participated in 2001 in the first successful expedition to kayak the entire length of the Murray River (2560km) between Thredbo and Adelaide.
- NZPA
