Scott Donaldson has arrived in New Plymouth after spending two months at sea, covering 2000km

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

After two months alone at sea, there are two things Scott Donaldson is looking forward to: a shower and some family time. The 48-year-old has become the first person to kayak the more than 2000km from Australia to New Zealand alone.

He departed Coffs Harbour in NSW on 2 May and put his feet on New Zealand soil on Monday night, guided by lights and welcomed by a cheering crowd. Wife Sarah and son Zac ran out into the water at New Plymouth for a hug before Donaldson was carried through the whistling spectators.

“I need a shower,” the Kiwi expat told the gathering after catching his breath.

Over the eight weeks, Donaldson paddled up to 16 hours some days, navigating six-metre swells and sharks attacking his rudder. “On a worse day you’re going backwards,” he told reporters on Monday.

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The attempt was not Donaldson’s first. In 2014 he came painfully close. More than 80 days into his trip and only 80km from land he had to abandon kayak, battered by a once-in-a-generation storm.



“Based on last time we all know what can happen, so I refused to think about it until I was at the beach, so it hasn’t sunk in yet,” he replied when asked about his success on Monday. “Last time was an adventure, this time was a race.”

Donaldson moved to Coffs Harbour four years ago in preparation for the first attempt and Sarah this week spoke of nine years of emotional and financial investment that had gone into the effort.

An asthma sufferer, Donaldson has used the journey as a way to raise money for asthma research.