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Team Gallagher making their way across the Tasman. - Source: ONE Sport -
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The Team Gallagher rowers are nearing the end of their epic adventure, but not without their share of challenges.
The quartet of Nigel Cherrie (35), Martin Berka (37), Andrew McCowan (28) James Blake (24), the son of yachting legend Sir Peter Blake, have been battling extreme weather in the Tasman since leaving Sydney on November 27.
The voyage to New Zealand has not been easy, with the team enduring broken equipment, including a rudder and an oar, injuries and continuous bad weather.
All of these challenges have been met in the confined space of a 10.5 metres long by 2 metres wide boat.
The rowers are also on a fat-rich diet of 8000 to 10,000 calories a day to cross the Tasman, however each will still lose around 20% of the body weight.
The team reached the Bay of Islands today - 51 days later - where they picked up some supplies before heading back out to sea to finish their journey in Auckland.
At the Bay of Islands, team mate Berka is hoping off for personal reasons.
"I received some news and I had to decide quickly about whether I am going to see my fiancé or not before she leaves somewhere and it turned out to be very short notice and I decided it's time for me to stop," he told Fairfax.
Team Gallagher aim to be the first Kiwi team to row from Sydney to Auckland using the iconic harbour bridges as their start and finish lines.
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