Jan 14 2008
Hillary V Kayakers
Anything written in the new papers this week about those brave two Australian kayakers Justin Jones and James Castrission will be in instant page turner for me. I just don’t get it and I couldn’t care less that they were able to paddle from Australia to New Zealand. What does it prove?
You didn’t see the late great Sir Edmund Hillary putting daily entries on his blog page, checking his positioning via GPS or feeling the quite confidence of a prepared rescue plan in place. His achievement was so famous because he did it without any chance of rescue. If these two kayak kids had achieved their feat facing Hillary type obstacles I may have been interested. The fact they made it just means we, the taxpayers are saved the expense from trying to rescue these them.
One of them has even had the audacity to bust out the old “if you just believe in your dreams and don’t give up you will achieve your dreams” lines. People have been spruiking this old chestnut for decades. It is throw away lines like these, that propagate ideas of pointless achievement to the next hapless generation. Then again, my dream was to write an unsuccessful blog with a moderate following….. well, what do you know, another dream comes true.
Since they have succeeded maybe we can come up with some ideas for their next “great frontier”?
Disagree with you there champ
It was only a couple of months ago a kayaker doing exactly the same trip died. He was within 100-200 km of reaching NZ and never seen again. He also had the benefit of rescue & GPS equipment.
They found his kayak with all equipment onboard but he was gooooooone.
There are so many dangers involved and rescue could be days away if you’re in the middle of the Tasman. If you’ve ever been sucked out to sea you’ll know you’re no chance against the power of the ocean.
Couldn’t agree more that Hillary’s achievement was phenomenal given the equipment he had. Though they now run tours to the top of Everest, but the dangers are still there as people die every climbing season.
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He had all the equipment but didn’t trigger his emergency signal, so basically it was as if he had no tracking at all. They only started to look for him after they had not heard from him and only found his kayak by arieal search. I don’t feel for his loss, though I do think he was silly and unfortunatley his family suffers.
I don’t get it, people have already crossed the Tazman on boats and already climbed Everest. Yet other people want to risk there lives to do it some more. I don’t have any respect for these people at all.
SJ
I agree with you on this one SJ. I don’t understand first why they do it and then have no interest in them doing it. Your decription of an instant page turner is correct for me as well.
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You agree? Are you crook or something Rob B?
SJ
Here’s a great feat……………..see if iamasmartman.com can keep his smart arse and sometimes offensive comments to himself for a week!!!!
low traffic today shirvo…………..roll out your A material my son.
Can’t even raise iamabigknob.com?
Tigress, unfortunately for you and your other fat racist dumb bevan loser buddies Iyou haven’t seen the last of me yet! I will continue to frequent this dubious site until SJ succumbs to the pressure of sensitive princesses like Velcro, Woody and Fat Simon who I’m sure would like to see me banned!!
Banned?? You make me feel so good about myself IASM, so why would I want you banned? If you’ve ever seen Seabiscuit, you are him before he’s rescued and transformed into the legend we know and love. Unfortunately the only difference I can see is that you have no prospect of success.
Simple, I have not seen Seabiscuit but from your reference I can only assume he was a stallion with a huge “sword” and he was much smarter and funnier than all the other fatter boring horses – played by you!!
….and he’s out for the count….
You are classic on-line easybeat….when will you learn your lesson? You are simple target practice for me. Hopefully one day I will come up against a worthy foe on this site.
Now that’s gold IASM!!!!
FYI, Seabiscuit was there to lose to all the other horses and give them confidence for race day. Much as you do for all of us.