Russian traveller in Pacific solo rowing plans to reach Australia in a month

VLADIVOSTOK, May 7 (Itar-Tass) - Famous Russian traveller Fyodor Konyukhov’s rowboat Turgoyak crossing the Pacific to Australia was stopped by headwinds. He is left to row 1,011 miles to the Australian port city of Brisbane, the traveller hoped to pass the line of one thousand miles away from Australia, but Turgoyak was blown by the wind in the opposite direction and the rowboat “has lost” three miles for the past day, Captain Konyukhov told his expedition headquarters in Russia’s capital, Moscow. From the beginning of the Pacific crossing from South America to Australia that started at the Chilean port of Concon on December 22, 2013, Turgoyak has already passed 8,284 miles. “I was looking forward to reach the line of [the last] one thousand miles today, but the ocean did not permit me to row westwards,” the Turgoyak skipper said in a communication session. Konyukhov dwelt on a hard situation in the voyage area, “The weather is nasty, it is drizzling and cold. Oceanic waves are 3-4 metres high. It is impossible to row as the rowboat is being rocked from side to side.” Unfavourable winds have also made Turgoyak drifting from the main course by about one hundred kilometres. “The winds have already thrown me south of Brisbane to 28th degree of south latitude [Brisbane is situated on 27th degree of south latitude]. The New Zealand island of Norfolk is 230 nautical miles ahead of me,” the rower said. According to Konyukhov’s estimates, he is left to row one more month to the finish on the eastern coast of Australia. Learn more on itar-tass.com