Sea scouts to row Cook Strait

Press, 19 February 1983, Page 21

Sea scouts to row Cook Strait

PA Blenheim Four sea scout groups will row return crossings of Cook Strait on March 12 to help raise money for the new sail training vessel Spirit of New Zealand. The groups involved will be the Picton and Springlands (Marlborough) sea scout groups, and a group of deep-sea scouts and members of the Westshore sea scouts in the North Island.

A spokesman for the Picton group said the rowers had been selected from venturer scouts, leaders and senior scouts. Each crew would row a cutter, with six scouts rowing and two reserves. The Picton and Springlands groups would start rowing

from Cape Jackson, and with two escort vessels, would row to Titahi Bay, and then row back to Cape Jackson. The North Island group would follow a similar route in reverse.

The crossing, it is believed, would be the first time sea scouts have rowed across the Cook Strait. The return crossing is expected to take each crew about six hours.

The spokesman said each crew member would change position in the cutters every 20 minutes, giving them a rest each hour. The escort vessels will carry first-aid equipment. If the weather was unsuitable, the crossings might- be made the next day or later, he said.