Bay Harbour: November 21, 2018

PAGE 4 BAY HARBOUR
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday November 21 2018
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Fire rages, homes at risk
Solo rowing challenge for surf lifesaver
• By Matt Salmons
TAYLORS MISTAKE surf
lifesaver Isaac Giesen is set to
become the first New Zealander
to row solo across the Atlantic
Ocean and the first to row across
twice in a year.
All in the name of raising
money for mental health
charities in New Zealand and
Australia.
His trip is part of the international
Trans-Atlantic Challenge
2018. He is one of only five solo
entrants.
The crossing from the Canary
Islands to Antigua is more than
5000km across the Atlantic
Ocean and could take about 90
days.
“It really doesn’t matter how
physically fit you are, it’s a mental
game,” Mr Giesen said.
His only companions when his
rowboat Bonnie Lass departs on
December 12 will be sufficient
food, a water maker and a sound
system pumping out drum and
bass beats.
“I’ll also have podcasts, but it’s
got to be drum and bass playing
while I’m out there.”
As well as enjoying his sound
system, Mr Giesen said he would
do a bit of fishing and “have a
think about life.”
DEDICATION: Taylors Mistake surf lifesaver Isaac Giesen is taking on the Atlantic in a row boat
for the second time this year. ​
“It’s an adventure. There’ll
definitely be challenges, but I’ll
just deal with those as they come
up.”
Mr Giesen said he was supposed
to undertake the solo trip
last year, but missed the pre-race
time on the water to qualify for
the 2017 Trans-Atlantic Challenge
due to boat repairs.
Instead, he completed the
challenge in a team row with
independent rowers from the
Faroe Islands earlier this year.
In spite of the team losing
two members early on, a broken
water maker, a busted steering
system and a stomach virus, Mr
Giesen said the journey had been
an amazing adventure.
“The positives far outweigh the
bad. It just adds to it.
“The goal [for next month’s
trip] is just to get across for me.
I find that if you go racing or try
to break records, you don’t want
to go back. I don’t want to ruin
my adventure.”
Mr Giesen’s cause, raising
money for Australian mental
health charities Black Dog and
Bravehearts as well as New
Zealand’s Victim Support, has a
personal connection.
He lost his aunt and two close
friends to suicide.
“It’s something that shaped me
and changed me a lot. It’s something
I’m still dealing with.
“I’ve actually got both my
mates’ anniversaries while I’m
out there.”
Mr Giesen said people could
donate to the cause, or become
a sponsor, through his website
www.thebluerower.com.
He also hoped to regularly
update the Blue Rower Facebook
and Instagram pages with videos
“so you can watch me slowly
deteriorate.”
Taylors Mistake Surf Lifesaving
Club administrator Adrian
Mouldey said he had known Mr
Giesen “since he was a nipper”
when he joined the club at nineyears-old.
Mr Giesen, a qualified lifeguard,
had competed in kayaking
at the national level since he
was 16.
“We’re very proud of him,
what he’s done and what he’s
going to do,” Mr Mouldey said.
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