Comments on: Andrew McAuley

By: mike

mike — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:54:05 +0000

I was pleased to get another chance to see Solo on bbc2 and sky+ it is as I have mentioned before it is such compelling viewing.
Watching it again does not alter my belief that his so called support team allowed him to risk his life in such a daft design of kayak and so called highly dangerous ‘Casper’.
The seas that Andrew had to navigate were too extreme for yachts in the famous Sydney to Hobart, so a kayak would have been like a coke can, unthinkable conditions.
Trying to understand how on earth Andrew nearly made the impossible possible I can only put down to his human spirit. To battle all the odds piled up against him and nearly achieve his goal was incredible.
This film is very sad, ironically with a sad ending because more so called experts failed to respond to his sos in time.

By: Kompressor Sport

Kompressor Sport — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:21:20 +0000

A very brave man,

the world needs pioneers like him or we will not progress (Columbus springs to mind)

It’s very easy to sit and make comments based on hindsite. It amazes me that he even thought this was possible in a Kayak let alone attempt it.

In my eyes he made it.

What an inspiration to others

By: Uiscemac

Uiscemac — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:36:04 +0000

Hi gang, watched that documentary last night. Won’t let the wife or kids see it though. They get anxious enough when I go out alone. His last VHF transmission would make your blood go cold. Unfortunately I can picture the situation very easily as I was unfortunate to get seperated from my boat for a period of time, hypothermia set in, slurred speech, confusion, exhaustion all of that you can hear in his voice. Very sad for his family ….God love them !
Anyway ye can watch it if ye wish by clicking on the following link; enjoy ! or maybe thats not the best word;
http://watchdocumentary.com/watch/solo-lost-at-sea-video_61d801126.html

MAC

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:53:32 +0000

I have got to completely agree with mike , it was the design of the casper thing that , ultimately caused the problem .
It looked like a Heath Robinson sort of contraption , if you are going to push yourself to the limit , mentally and physically , then your equipment is paramount .Its the last thing that should let you down.
It was easy to see even by an untrained eye , the casper was not a finished article, perhaps the funding wasnt quite enough

By: Kayleigh

Kayleigh — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:11:54 +0000

I watched this documentary at the EMFF – and i have to admit it was so sad. I completely get christine-magdalena carters comments about this. He was born an adventurer and there was a risk there that he knew about. The suprising thing is that if he had made it then we would all be rejoicing and no critism would be given. Yes he had a family and it is upsetting that he will not get to see his son grow up but if you see the videos, then his son will be so proud of his Daddy.

This film really deserved the award that it got at the EMFF. Andrew is an inspiration. It really is a thin line between a dream and reality. But hat off to Andrew for going after something he really wanted. I really do admire him!

By: christine-magdalena carter

christine-magdalena carter — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:58:48 +0000

I found my HERO, he was everything a human being can be, I watched the documentary twice and I will watch it 100 times more. People like him are born to be adventurers, his wife and son can be so proud of him that he was part of their lifes. I will hold Andrew close to my heart for as long as I live, he has taught us that we can overcome our fears and sometimes we loose, but it would have been much worse for him if he would have never tried it.I am german and I wished my english would be better to express my overwhelming feeling for this man and his beautiful wife and son, may god bless them

By: Marius Thomassen

Marius Thomassen — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:47:12 +0000

Jeg så på computer katastrofekurs: Andrew Mcauley forsøg på fra australien til New Zealand strækning på 1600 km 2007 / jeg vil prøve kommentere andrew bedrift hav kajak sejlads! Når man har sat sig i kajakken fra start skud foreksempel endtil man når målet , ja så kan man jo strække benene bagefter… men i andrew situation en hel måned og skal sidde i kajakken… enormt velje skal der til? og der var ingen sofaer hvor han kan slappe af! nej: manden var bundet til kajakken. selv en pfysisk og psykisk stærk velje man har… ja så kan man knække??? 1600 km er enormt langt!!! man skal spise og drikke hele vejen igennem! jeg siger igen 1600 km er enormt langt! man skal også ha søvn sådan er vi mennesker indrettet. min opfattelser af Andrew: manden var udmattet af sin anstrengelser selv om han var tæt på målet! måske mangel mad og drikke udmattelse mangel søvn ud af selv kontrol kan forårsager katastrofe til sidst… hans sidste nød råb eller meddelelse lyder som om manden var fuld da jeg hørte det i udsendelsen! udmattelse kan forårsager også stemmen ændret i sit råb om hjælp? træthed fryse nedkøling udmattelse: har man ikke veljen til overleve ja så er man på katastrofe kurs! forberelser var måske ikke tilstrækkeligt nok??? enorme bølger er frygtindgynde og se på. syntes jeg! men andrew var klaret igennem enorme bølger!!! udmattelse træthed er måske årsagen til han omkom lige før han når målet??? ære være hans minde…

By: Mikkel

Mikkel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:46:16 +0000

“If he was rowing then conditions were favorable so how the hell did his boat take on water???”

Dave,

That’s exactly what that foreign wheather forecaster says about the approach to New Zealand. It may look calm, but out of nowhere you can have powerful but not big 2-3 meter sets of waves. That capsized him, and either his CASPER broke there or earlier on his trip, which made the CASPER hang down from underneath the his kayak, making it impossible for a human being to roll it back up – simply because of the CASPER hanging that much lower down.

I have seen this documentary at least six times. I love how they’ve made you able to get so close to Andrew, the sea, the waves, the music and the rest of the advanture. I speculated a lot in the beginning… Like, how come he wasn’t able to roll it back up when the CASPER was missing from the kayak when they found it? Well, the steam or the flow, the power if so to speak just right under the sea level must have torn rest of it off before they found it.

In my mind he made it. Yet I keep thinking – what a sin.

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:20:51 +0000

I just saw his documentary and just loved it but was sad that he didn’t make it in the end. He was soo close yet soo far .

By: mike

mike — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:09:55 +0000

Not sure if its too late to publish comments about Andrew but I.m a local kayaker and I continue to play this program now and again because for all sorts of reasons its a compelling film. The struggle in Andrew’s mind between being a father and an adventurer are there for us all to see, the agony of his first attempt to leave and his worry about leaving his precious wife and son.
The absolutely tragic ending is so sad considering he was almost there but my first instinct would to put all the blame on his so called support team.
The Casper and its design was obviously not thought through enough and caused his death. The support arms were dangerously weak and the cockpit should have been modified and allowed more space for occupancy. The capsize of a kayak depends so much on getting back in which is no mean feat when you are on your own. Then the craft has to be bailed out of the water and then you have to hope that all your food and gear is still in one place. All of this effort to raise your boat is fine if your fit and well but tired with lack of food and sleep and hypothermic, unbelievable.
This film is so sad but shows Andrews battle between human spirit and being a father and Husband.