Dutchman rows across Pacific Ocean into Rabaul
By ELIZABETH VUVU
A DUTCHMAN arrived in Rabaul, East New Britain province, last week after rowing in his canoe for 291 days, which saw him successfully cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Referred to as the Zeeman Ocean Challenge, Dutchman Ralph Tuijin reached the Rabaul port last Thursday and was assisted by one of Rabaul Shipping’s passenger vessels.
Mr Tuijin told The National that after successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean in his rowing boat in 2006, he departed Peru in South America to start his Pacific crossing.
He has rowed more than 14,000km.
He left Peru aiming for Brisbane, Australia, but the La Nina phenomena proved to be an unexpected factor with unusual ocean currents pushing him in all directions and made his planning useless.
He said on Aug 27 last year, he was caught in a severe thunderstorm and barely survived a crash on the Atafu atoll off New Zealand.
“I was surprised to find people there who were very kind in helping me repair my boat which took seven weeks and resumed my journey with an extra challenge towards Australia on Oct 25,” Mr Tuijin recalled.
“The joint forces of La Nina and Hurricane Damien then forced me to seek shelter in Fiji on Dec 1 last year, and I began rowing again on April 27 this year.”
Mr Tuijin said his plans to reach Brisbane were abandoned as the ocean didn’t let him and he set course for Papua New Guinea.
The Dutchman, who loves adventure, said steering between coral reefs and atolls with a 700-kilo ocean rowing boat with only two paddles and an oar was a risky endeavour.
“With winds at 55 to 60 knots and ocean waves eight metres high made me plan as much in advance to stay clear of obstacles.
“Few times I collapsed and once I had an encounter with a thunderstorm.”
He did not have problems with food supplies as he managed to restock during his stop at Fiji and Atafu. He became very successful in fishing and he has a desalination device on his boat to desalinate salt water.
Mr Tuijin said his wife and daughter named Isis, which in Greek means goddess protector of sea, are used to his adventures as he had already cycled two times around the world.
With this voyage, Mr Tuijin said he was raising money for a children’s orphanage in Mumbai city in India.
He is now making plans to return home.
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