KEY POINTS:
A painful muscle bleed has forced Jack Finn to abandon his quest to be the first person with haemophilia to kayak around the remote Auckland Islands.
Mr Finn, from West Auckland, was about one-third into the 220km journey in subantarctic waters, accompanied by support boat Tiama and a
specialised haemophilia medic, when the injury happened.
Haemophilia Foundation spokeswoman Chantal Lauzon said the haemorrhage in his back was not life threatening, but quite painful and hard to get over.
Medic Mary Brasser decided it was unwise for Mr Finn, who also has hepatitis C, to continue kayaking in his condition.
"He's obviously very disappointed and completely gutted," Ms Lauzon said.
The "Bloody Can Do It" expedition aimed to raise awareness of haemophilia, as well as inspiring others to follow their dreams.
"He is an experienced kayaker and this had been his passion and dream. He made it a reality to inspire others but it hasn't worked out the way he expected."
Haemophilia is a rare blood disorder caused by a lack of protein responsible for clotting in the blood. Without this protein, an affected person's blood cannot form a clot and stop bleeding on its own.
Mr Finn's mother Mary Hancock, who was also accompanying her son on Tiama, said as all those with haemophilia knew when this sort of bleed or injury occurred they just had to stop and rest.
"No matter where you are, or what your hopes and dreams are ... you have to stop."
Mr Finn had been making good progress along the east coast to the bottom of the Auckland Islands, 465km south of New Zealand.
He noticed some back soreness on Thursday night but it was not until Friday that it became very sore and he was unable to kayak, his mother said. It was hard to predict which bumps or strains would cause a bleed in a person with haemophilia.
"He hoped it would get better. So they sailed about Carnley Harbour for the day but on Saturday they knew it wasn't going to get any better."
On Sunday they sailed up the West Coast in perfect weather and Mr Finn kayaked around Disappoint Island.
"That was about as much as he could handle and they decided to head back."
Mr Finn was receiving treatment for the bleed and pain on the support boat, which was expected back in Bluff Harbour tomorrow morning, a day earlier than expected.
He would be met by members of the Haemophilia Foundation.
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
