Whirl around country will be no picnic

The crews who will attempt the circumnavigation (from left): Andrew Lancaster, Ash Matuschka, Antony Morgan, Matt Buswell, Jason Glew, Jason Harvey and Blake Ingram. Photo / Supplied

As most of us get ready for our summer holidays a group of six surf lifeguards are preparing for a journey that has never been attempted in New Zealand.

The lifeguards, all in their mid 20s, are gearing up to circumnavigate the country to celebrate the centenary of surf life saving in New Zealand.

Set to be completed in two specially modified inflatable rescue boats (IRBs), this will be the first time a full circumnavigation (North, South and Stewart Islands) of New Zealand has been completed in a craft less than 4m in length.

The epic voyage will begin on January 5 and is expected to take 40 days (33 days on the water with seven contingency days for bad weather).

It will consist of 32 legs, with the crew touching down not only at New Zealand's most popular surf beaches, but at some of the country's most remote coastal locations too.

Led by Muriwai surf lifeguards Ash Matuschka and Andrew Lancaster, the team of six IRB drivers also includes Auckland-based Jason Harvey, Blake Ingram, Matt Buswell and Antony Morgan of Papamoa.

"It is a tough one to prepare for because no one has ever done this before," said the 25-year-old Lancaster, who has been racing IRBs with his good mate Ash since they were 14.

"We have done a lot of research on similar adventures in IRB boats, we know our craft really well and we have tapped into a lot of knowledge of what it will be like but no one really knows until we do it."

"We decided as a small group of clubbies that we wanted to attempt something significant to pay tribute to the centenary," added 24-year-old Matuschka.

"For us, it's about celebrating today's generation of surf lifeguards, and looking ahead towards the next 100 years."

Matuschka and Lancaster came up with the idea after reading Bear Grylls' (Man vs. Wild) book about the team he led on the first unassisted crossing of the North Atlantic Arctic Ocean in an open rigid inflatable boat.

Grylls and his team suffered weeks of frozen spray and icebergs, battled force eight gale winds, hypothermia, and storms in an 11m long boat through some of the most treacherous stretches of water in the world.

They were barely able to finish the journey from Halifax, Nova Scotia to John o' Groats, Scotland.

While the Kiwi summer in January and February is not quite as harsh as the Arctic Ocean the task ahead is still going to be a physical and mental battle.

"While the organisation consists of 73 individual clubs, as lifeguards we're all united by the same thing - we're in it for life," said Matuschka.

"Meeting the clubbers around the country is what is going to make this trip special," said Lancaster.

"I'm looking forward to getting into the back blocks of New Zealand - where salt of the earth Kiwis are working as lifeguards."

In preparation the team has worked hard in the gym with four sessions per week conditioning their core muscles vital in driving the IRB.

They recently completed a 160km training session on the West Coast and realised the magnitude of the task.

"By our estimations this is going to be immensely physically challenging," said Lancaster. "It's going to be like playing a game of rugby every day for 33 days or being hit by a bus - we reckon our bodies are going to be shattered at the end."

Corey Hutchings, one of New Zealand's greatest athletes in surf lifesaving, who held the New Zealand Ironman title for more than a decade, is impressed by the effort.

"You can't train for something like this," said the 38-year-old Hutchings, who retired from the professional circuit in 2003.

"You can put in as many hours as you want and get yourself physically conditioned but the sheer mental grind of it everyday is going to be the biggest challenge.

"The ocean is an amazing place but it can also be a very draining and lonely place.

"They are showing a huge amount of courage in taking this on and I have nothing but respect for all of them.

"They have the mental strength to know that there is no point of return and it is probably that strong will and determination that will get them home."

Completing the journey means 40 back-to-back days of being soaked by sea spray, confined to a 3.8m IRB for hours at a time and battling the elements, whatever comes their way.

The longest stretch will be from Fiordland, across Foveaux Strait, around Stewart Island to Bluff - one of the most isolated and difficult stretches of water in the world.

"All seamen around the country know that any part of New Zealand can be treacherous in rough conditions," said Lancaster.

"Any lifeguard knows when you're up against the elements, you're completely at nature's mercy," added Matuschka.

"We're as prepared as we possibly can be - but we also know to expect the unexpected. We want this voyage to capture the spirit of who surf lifeguards are."

The team will not only consist of six IRB drivers, it will also include a reserve driver (Jason Glew) as well as a safety manager, mechanic, doctor and a land-based support person.

At all times throughout the trip two IRBs will be on the water to act as each other's safety craft.

Tracking equipment has been installed in both IRBs allowing remote tracking by both the land-based support team and other maritime safety operations.

The boats will leave every morning at 5:30am and the period of time it takes to reach the next destination is weather dependent with the speed of the IRBs changing significantly in chop or swell.

Each day will be divided into two legs and trips could take around four hours or up to eight or nine hours on the water.

The six surf lifeguards will stop for lunch and refuel and relax and get some physiotherapy treatment before the next leg.

It is a relentless mission and Hutchings knows that New Zealanders will get right behind the effort. "Provincial New Zealand will adopt them as their own," said Hutchings. "You don't see many people attempting stuff like this in the small towns around the country and I have no doubt they'll be well looked after."

And for Lancaster and Matuschka they are expecting many highs and lows on their journey

"It will be bloody hard work but I am looking forward to seeing New Zealand at its most beautiful," said Lancaster. "We'll travel alongside some amazing coastline that will just blow our minds.

"After a massive day on the water I'm looking forward to coming into a beautiful beach and just enjoying that moment."

Round NZ

* Six lifeguards will circumnavigate New Zealand in 40 days (33 days on water, 7 contingency days)

* Their voyage will be completed throughout January and February in a series of 32 legs.

* At the completion of each leg the crew will come to shore, landing at not only the country's most popular surf beaches, but at some of the most remote too.

* The longest stretch will be from Fiordland, across Foveaux Strait, around Stewart Island to Bluff - one of the most isolated and difficult stretches of water in the world.

* The trip will start early next month from Auckland, heading north and working anticlockwise around New Zealand.

www.sixsurflifeguards.org.nz
To follow the team's progress on Twitter, search: @6surflifeguards
To follow the team's progress on Facebook, search: Six Surf Lifeguards


peter.thornton@sportsinc.co.nz