A team of surfboat rowers has become the first all-female crew to cross the notorious Bass Strait stretch of water between Victoria and Tasmania.
Key points:
- A surfboat crew has endured massive swells and strong winds during a 320km Bass Strait crossing
- The seven-day journey raised money for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- The women are claiming a record for their 89km leg on the second day
It was all for a good cause, raising money for research into sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
A week ago, eight women from the Red Nose MusselRowers team left Port Welshpool in southern Victoria for their 320-kilometre journey to Tasmania.
They arrived in Musselroe Bay in Tasmania's far north-east just after midday on Saturday, tired but elated.
Crew member Shannon Small said it was overwhelming to see family and friends, some of whom had flown in as a surprise.
"It was extremely emotional, all of us were in tears getting out of the boat, knowing that everyone is behind us is so great," she said.
The team from various parts of New South Wales rowed between 40 and 89 kilometres a day.
Each of the four team members onboard rowed for two hours, with a break every half-hour, before swapping with the other four women following closely on a support boat.
They made six stops on several islands throughout their journey, camping overnight on Refuge Bay, Hogan Island, Deal Island, Roydon Island, Trousers Point and Preservation Island.
Ashleigh Bujeya said they faced rough conditions on the trip, right down to the last hour.
"I looked down at my watch and we were going zero kilometres (per hour) for a little while and we were putting in 98 per cent effort so that last hour was tough but the whole week has been hard and fun," she said.
The crew also had to battle seasickness and blisters, but there were no major injuries.
"One of the crews they were vomiting all day — couldn't stand, couldn't sit couldn't dress, couldn't do anything," she said.
"Then they jumped in the boat, rowed like absolute champions.
"No-one's got major injures — don't look at our hands they're disgusting — but there were a couple of sore backs, couple of sore bums but everyone's pulled up really well.
"Just to work four, six eight ten hours a day and get up the next day and do it again, everybody's pulled up really well."
The women were spurred on by that feat.
"We thought, 'what do we do, we can all feel close to and what can we give 100 per cent?', so we thought Red Nose to raise awareness and funds for them."