Rower still eyes Pacific crossing
Happy times: Clark Carter was part of a team that attempted to row across Bass Strait to raise money for cystic fibrosis research.
A MAN rescued from Bass Strait last week is still planning to paddle the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Sydney later this year.
Ben Turner broke his elbow while attempting to row across Bass Strait last week.
He and Margaret Bowling and Clark Carter were returned to land by police after the accident in rough weather.
The trio was attempting to row from Walkerville South to Hobart in Tasmania for cystic fibrosis research which is the most common life threatening, recessive genetic condition affecting Australian children.
Mr Turner was attempting this row as practice before his epic Pacific crossing.
He is planning to complete an east-west crossing of the Pacific Ocean from Lima, Peru aiming for Sydney, Australia taking him across more than 13,000 kilometres of water and about 270 days to complete.
If successful, Mr Turner will become the first Australian and youngest person to cross the Pacific Ocean solo, non-stop and unassisted.
The record would not mean much to Mr Turner, but raising awareness and money for cystic fibrosis does.
His broken arm from the crossing is extremely sore and doctors are yet to find out what is wrong.
“We couldn’t get a very good angle of it in the x-ray as I wasn’t able to straighten my arm out. It is very sore,” Mr Turner said.
“I am having more tests this week and more x-rays as we still don’t know what is wrong with my arm, but it is extremely painful!”
Mr Turner said he has raised $15,000 to $20,000 so far and is aiming for $1 million.
Team members are disappointed they were not able to continue the trip, as the weather had cleared by the time the water police vessel Fearless reached them. The crew was returned to Port Welshpool.
“We would definitely have continued if I hadn’t hurt my arm,” Mr Turner said.
As for the proposed Pacific Ocean crossing, Mr Turner said he will find out what is wrong with his arm first and then decide if the trip would be delayed.
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