Australian Associated Press 28/03/2001

March 28,2001

WEDNESDAY STORY

by Dale Paget

GOLD COAST, March 28 AAP - Trans Pacific adventurer Jim Shekhdar is being urged to "row, row, row his boat" or risk missing Australia altogether. Late today the 54 year Englishman, who is attempting to become the first person to cross the Pacific Ocean unassisted in a row boat, was 170 kilometres out to sea off the Gold Coast, enjoying a change in weather conditions. "At last a wind has turned," said Mr Shekhdar in an email sent today from onboard his boat, Le Shark. A southerly wind is currently pushing Mr Shekhdar towards the Australian east coast but it may not be happening fast enough. The executive director of the Ocean Rowing Society, Kenneth Crutchlow, said the boat was being swept south by currents making it more and more difficult for Mr Shekhdar to reach land. "Australia just keeps dropping away and if he keeps getting pushed south he could miss it," said Mr Crutchlow. "He needs to make progress towards land and he needs to make it today." Mr Shekhdar left Peru in June last year and tomorrow will be his 272nd day at sea. The former computer salesman and engineer emigrated to Australia in 1971 and worked for a year in northern New South Wales before moving to New Zealand and then back to Britain. Before leaving South America, Mr Shekhdar said he wouldn't mind landing in Byron Bay which he described as his "perception of paradise". Several family members arrived in Australia today in preparation for Mr Shekhdar's landing somewhere along the east coast. Mr Shekhdar's daughter Anna, said her father wanted to do something no one else had done. "I'm going to give him a massive hug," she said.