Justin and I have been incredibly busy preparing Lot 41 (our kayak) to cross the ditch. Last week we returned from a period of offshore testing which has shown we need to make some adjustments to get the kayak performing in a manner that will get us across the Tasman. Roger Badham (Meteorologist) does not want us to leave our departure later than Feb 7 2007. As a result we have decided to delay.

Clearly we are disappointed as we have been pumped for so long to get out there but Crossing the Ditch has always been about the Journey. From the onset of this project we have maintained that safety is our number one priority- we are not going to compromise that by cutting corners. When we do this expedition we are going to do it right…first time.

Thanks to all you guys for being so supportive.

Thanks guys to all that showed at the Australian National Maritime Museum for the official launch of Lot 41. It was fantastic to see so many of the faces that have been integral in making this project happen. Special thanks to Father Adrian for Blessing the Kayak, David Spence (CEO of Unwired) for the official naming ceremony and of course all our sponsors, family and friends that showed. You guys are what Crossing the Ditch is all about- photos are up in the gallery.

As was discussed on Saturday, we have a couple of offshore “test boxes” we need to tick prior to embarking across the Tasman later this month.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

What could posibly be a better way to spend New Years Eve the to spend the night sleeping in our beautiful kayak on the water. Not only was she great to paddle (after some initial problems over the Christmas period) but she sleeps two people more than comfortable.

However the Crossing the Ditch Departure delayed to late January but...the OFFICIAL LAUNCH DAY is still on for this Saturday 6 January at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Cockle Bay so make sure you still come down to meet us, check out our equipment and supplies, grab a showbag and catch the kayak on the water. We will be blessing the kayak and taking her for a spin around Darling Harbour.

We have delayed the expedition departure date due to a couple of issues that arose over the Christmas period. Thanks to the help of experts and friends alike we have been able to rectify these problems 100% percent and can truly say she paddles and looks like a dream. A special thanks to Solar Sailor who have really jumped in to help us with our electrical issues. We can now really put her through her paces in some rigourous sea trials. We want to ensure that once we set off on our expedition, the next stop is Auckland and that means eliminating all potential areas for error. Paddle Hard...but Plan harder.

Keep checking back for further updates and thanks everyone for your support so far!!

Hello everyone,

Firstly Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone especially our 360 friends!

Secondly, we would like to let you know that thanks to the Australian National Maritime Museum and all of our sponsors we are having a party in Darling Harbour to celebrate our departure. The party starts at 9:30am outside by the water, where our beautiful Kayak will be awaiting a mammoth voyage across the Tasman and best of all its FREE!

Events
09:30am - Lets get this party started - Music, Show Bags, Balloons.
09:45am - Meet us. We'll be talking about the journey so far and of course... the journey ahead.
10:00am - Question and Answer session and photos of the crew before they depart
10:15am - Departure Ceremony
10:30am - Find a great spot to watch us paddle out of Sydney Harbour.

And then ... watch history in the making!

Keep an eye on the website for more details...