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Source: ONE News -
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Shaun Quincey has repeated the feat of his father in conquering the Tasman in a rowboat.
Quincey reached shore soon after midday on Sunday, 54 days after leaving Australia and 33 years after his dad Colin became the only person to complete the journey in the reverse direction.
As day broke on Sunday, Quincey could see dry land in the distance for the first time in seven weeks and after a sleepless night of three metre swells during which he kept banging his head and rolling around the cabin.
The 25-year-old described the achievement as "absolutely brilliant" and says keeping the record in the family is absolutely amazing.
And Quincey says there's no better country to aim for than New Zealand.
Supporters had followed the dramatic last moments of his seven week challenge when large waves saw him bail out of his rowboat and swim the final 300 metres to shore. The boat is not much bigger than a mini van and Quincey's safe arrival ended anxious nights for his partner Lisa Jones and mum Nannett.
On 90 Mile Beach the support crew was constantly working calculations of where his landing spot might be and reassuring the rower he would have some company very soon.
When the boat was just a small red dot bobbing in the swell his surf lifesaving mates couldn't wait to head out to guide him in.
The surf lifesaver wanted to raise awareness for the organisation but he says it has been a big life lesson too.
"I've just go to take some time, come to terms for the fact I've been at sea for 54 days...then I'll be okay," he says.
Since leaving Australia Quincey has capsized twice, encountered a sperm whale, and needed more drinking water dropped to him by air.
From Darwin, dad Colin has tracked his son's progress using technology that didn't exist when he rowed across the Tasman in 1977.
"Relief and pride," he says of his son's achievement. "He's beaten my record which is great and so he's number one now as far as I'm concerned."
Quincey says he had mixed feelings about returning to land.
"You get quite comfortable being at sea...it's sort of like an unknown again coming back to land...you get so used to this in your mind to this being home and being okay with it."
But tonight he will enjoy sleeping fully flat for the first time in weeks.
