A pilot who made a six-hour round-trip to drop off supplies to a kayaker nearly 600km north of the Manukau Harbour says they nearly missed him.
Hamilton multi-sport coach Scott Donaldson left Coffs Harbour in Australia on 29 April this year, seeking to be the first to kayak the Tasman solo. But the 43-year-old has been hampered with technical problems and was running dangerously low on food and water.
A practice run of the parachute drop was carried out at Taupo. Photo: JOHN FUNNELL
Mr Donaldson's journey struck trouble early on and he had to stop at Lord Howe Island, which he had left in May. He was faced with battery problems and cloudy weather which stopped his solar panels working at their peak.
With these problems and foul weather working against him, his wife Sarah Donaldson called Taupo-based rescue pilot John Funnell asking him to make the drop of supplies using parachutes.
Mr Funnell, who carried out the mercy mission with his son Mark, said the first challenge was finding the kayaker and it took about three hours on Friday afternoon.
"We knew we were pretty close. But he called us on the radio and said, 'You've just flown over me'. When we did turn and find him we couldn't believe how small the vessel was."
Mr Funnell said despite a five-metre swell, Mr Donaldson was able to reach the three parcels they dropped, but one of them split and some water was lost.
He said the food should be enough to last another four weeks - double the time it is expected for the kayaker to take to reach New Zealand.
Mr Funnell was flying a Piper Comanche which he said was suited to the long distance and had done practice drops over Lake Taupo.
The kayaker's wife, Sarah Donaldson, said she got a text message from the Funnells saying the mission had gone well on Friday afternoon and is relieved that her husband has supplies.
"It's been quite concerning, to say the least, knowing that he had been rationing his food intake and how that may affect him physically and mentally."
Ms Donaldson says she's very grateful to Mr Funnell, who's borne the $10,000 cost of the supply drop himself, and her husband is looking forward to finishing the journey.
She said they are hoping to defray costs with sponsorship from some media organisations.
Second drop may be needed
Sarah Donaldson said more water would probably be airlifted to him later in the week.
She said his supplies were low because of the fact that some of the water that was dropped on Friday was lost in the sea, combined with a lack of sun to power the water filter.
She said she will know in the next couple of days if a second water drop was needed.
