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Pacific Rowing pair dodging tropical storms

Pacific Rowing pair dodging tropical storms as they reach half-way

After 40 days and 40 nights Tara Remington is now half-way through her row across the Pacific Ocean. Now all she has to do is avoid two cyclones hovering on either side of her path to Hawaii.

The University of Auckland academic is rowing across the Pacific Ocean from Long Beach Los Angeles to Waikiki in Hawaii with American Paralympian Angela Madsen in their vessel the Spirit of Orlando.

Tara has called this stage of the journey ‘no man’s land’.

“We’re as far away from anyone and anything as we can be in the whole trip.”

They have not seen any ships for a few days and even wildlife sightings are few and far between.

The 4000 Km odyssey is to raise money for New Zealand girl Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman. Charlotte lost her arms and legs to meningitis as a baby in 2004. Now a ten-year-old, she needs on-going assistance with prosthetic limbs as she grows. Tara’s row will also help raise enough money for Charlotte to attend Camp No Limits, a special camp for amputees and their families held in the United States each year. Angela, a former US marine, is also using the row to raise money for wounded American war veterans.

You can donate to the cause at www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/RowingforCharlotte

Tara is thrilled to hear the boys and girls from Room 4 at Kio Kio School in Otorohanga have held a nautical themed mufti day to raise money for Charlotte.

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The pupils dressed up as pirates, mermaids, jellyfish, fishermen, seaweed, a diver and even as cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.

They held a parade at the school and were given prizes of chocolate fish and packets of the card game Go Fish as prizes for the best costumes.

Now the rest of the school is planning another nautical themed mufti day.

Back at sea, Tara and Angela have battled bad weather for the past four weeks. After only recently having their first sunset, they were then plunged into grey skys again. The lack of sun caused their solar equipment to run ran out of power and for a time couldn’t desalinate any water, heat food or use their radio.

Now it’s clear again and they have just enjoyed their first clear and starry night.

The pair hope to avoid two tropical storms; one already has earned the title Tropical Storm Douglas and instead take advantage of the North East winds to push them the remaining 2000 kms to Hawaii.

“There are two storms out here, but it looks like we’re going to squeeze between them,” Tara says.

The trade winds are already helping their rowing by pushing them 60 to 70 miles a day.

Tara, a Waiuku resident and lecturer, at first got involved with Charlotte’s charity through the Meningitis Trust in the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race, and now her daughter Jade is Charlotte’s pen-pal.

Visit www.tararemington.weebly.com for more information on Tara and her Pacific Row 2014.
Make a donation to Charlotte at: www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/RowingforCharlotte
You can also track their progress at https://share.delorme.com/AngelaMadsen

ENDS

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