Thread: Naked Irishman attempts to row Indian Ocean

but needs assistance from Fuji-Fuka

Naked adventurer strikes storm
16:35 07/06/2011




A rescue crew is on stand-by and a merchant ship has been sent to help an adventurer after his ambitious bid to row solo across the Indian Ocean - naked - fell foul of the weather.

Irishman Keith Whelan, 29, also known as the Naked Adventurer, was rowing solo off the coast of Geraldton when he gotnto trouble with rough seas and was hit by a large wave. He received a gash to the head in the challenging conditions.

Mr Whelan was attempting to be the first Irishman to row across the Indian Ocean.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman Tracey Jiggans said Mr Whelan had received a cut to his head and radioed for help.

A nearby merchant ship, the Fuji-Fuka, has been diverted to help Mr Whelan and should arrive at his location about midday today.

Ms Jiggans said he would be assessed for medical treatment and taken aboard the ship.

An RAC rescue helicopter and crew are on standby in Geraldton in case Mr Whelan needs further treatment.

According to Mr Whelan's website, thenakedadventurer.com, bad weather had been hampering his efforts to row.

- WA Today

Injured naked solo rower Keith Whelan rescued 220km off Geraldton
From: AAP
June 07, 2011 6:10PM

A SELF-described naked adventurer rowing solo across the Indian Ocean has had to be rescued by a cargo ship off the West Australian coast after he was hit by a large wave.

Keith Whelan, 29, was trying to become the youngest man and first Irishman to row solo across the Indian Ocean when he was caught in rough seas yesterday.

Police said Mr Whelan had set off from the Abrolhos Islands, about 60km west of Geraldton, when he was hit by a large wave, causing him to strike his head on a bolt protruding from inside his sleeping compartment.

He suffered a gash to his head and although he was not concussed police said he was concerned about infection.

An Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman said Mr Whelan made a satellite phone call to an associate in the UK who then contacted Australian authorities.

A cargo ship heading for Bunbury was diverted to rescue Mr Whelan, who was eventually picked up 218km off the Geraldton coast today.

Police said he would remain on board the ship until it arrived at Bunbury tomorrow afternoon.

According to the Irishman's website, the Naked Adventurer, he was attempting to row 6000km unassisted from WA to Mauritius.

"Having gotten into a rowing boat for the first time only a year or so beforehand, he will spend 110 days alone at sea, facing 50-foot swells, hurricane force winds and unrelenting sunshine and he'll be naked," the website said.

Mr Whelan started the journey on May 7.

Geraldton Volunteer Marine Rescue Group commodore Brian McClymans said it didn't begin well.

"We heard he was having difficulty out through the breakers and sent one of our vessels to monitor his movement and see that he actually was able to get through successfully," Mr McClymans told Fairfax Radio.

"He apparently left and went the wrong way for a short period. I questioned in my own mind whether or not he had the ability to continue on."

Mr McClymans said embarking on that journey at this time of year without support, let alone doing it naked, was a "rather foolhardy thing to do".

The Irishman undertook the voyage to raise money for the charity Keep a Child Alive, which aims to help children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

"At first I thought this was complete madness but at the same time it appealed to me. I am a risk taker and risking your life to achieve a dream is the biggest risk you can take," Mr Whelan wrote on his website.

"Some might say it's foolish but to my mind it is only foolish if you don't know the risks and you don't prepare for them and train for every possible scenario."

A spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the cost of the operation was not known, and the authority's priority was saving lives.

The adventurer would not be asked to pay for the cost of the operation, as rescues are covered under international conventions.

"We don't condone these kind of trips because they are inherently dangerous. We do point out the risk," the spokeswoman said.

This guy is has no idea this time of year there are very large swells along the coast from Geraldton to Step Point
Around Geraldton you have a lot of islands & then it is hang on to, as you mite end up in India.

Rescue crews rush to naked Irish solo adventurer

Lee-Maree Gallo

June 7, 2011 - 12:50PM

• Comments 12

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'The Naked Adventurer' Keith Whelan has fallen foul of conditions off Geraldton as part of his bid to cross the Indian Ocean nude. Photo: The Naked Adventurer

An Irish adventurer has been plucked from wild seas off the WA coast after his ambitious bid to row solo across the Indian Ocean - naked - fell foul overnight.
Keith Whelan, 29, also known as the Naked Adventurer, was rowing solo off the coast of Geraldton when he got into trouble and was hit by a large wave.
Sergeant Gerry Cassidy from WA Police said Mr Whelan had left the Abrolhos Islands yesterday morning but soon ran into the wild weather. He struck his head on a protruding bolt inside the cabin, resulting in a gash to the head.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Keith Whelan in the boat he hoped would take him across the Indian Ocean. Photo: The Naked Adventurer

He was not concussed by the injury, but there was a concern about infection.
Mr Whelan was attempting to be the first Irishman to row solo across the Indian Ocean.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman Tracey Jiggans said Mr Whelan had radioed for help soon after sustaining his injury.

View Rower sea rescue in a larger map

A nearby merchant ship, the Fujisuka, had been diverted to help Mr Whelan and arrived to collect him about midday today. The RAC rescue helicopter was also put on standby, but was not needed for the rescue.
Ms Jiggans said Mr Whelan was assessed for medical treatment and his condition was deemed to be satisfactory.
He would remain on board the ship as it made its way to Bunbury. The ship was expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon.
It was not known whether Mr Whelan was planning to continue with his solo adventure.
Whelan's naked ambition
According to Mr Whelan's website, thenakedadventurer.com, he began his odyssey on May 7, departing from Geraldton.
He was planning to row 12 hours every day, two hours on and two hours off, for the 120 days he was planning to be at sea. He is raising money for the Keep a Child Alive charity.
So far he has suffered through sea-sickness and has been hampered by bad weather and treacherous seas.
On May 11, Mr Whelan ran into trouble and had to be rescued by a passing fishing vessel, which towed him to a nearby island.
On May 24, he posted on his website that he was back on mainland after rowing into bad weather and heavy winds, which blew him off course. He also had to deal with a badly-damaged rudder.
On his website Mr Whelan explained why he had taken up the challenge.
"I guess I want to be able to look back on my life in years to come and have accomplished things which I am proud of," he wrote.
"I am no different from everyone else in that respect. Granted my ambitions may be at the more extreme end, but for me that makes them all the more worthwhile."

I feel sorry for the guy

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/rescue-crews-rush-to-naked-irish-solo-adventurer-20110607-1fqaf.html#ixzz1Oajt6Ia8

When the Freo doc come in & your out there in the India Ocean, not protected
by any island or reef kiss your arse good by.

send the twat the bill .

send him back to Ireland with the bill,
I'm sick of these professional Irishmen
they always expect a round of applause when they announce
''I'M IRISH''

Your have to agree the Spud eater don't look that fit, I mean if I was a bird i wouldn't drop my knickers for him.

Dumb fucking Mick. Nice country but the people are just plain backward.

He is raising money for the Keep a Child Alive charity.

What using the donation to have a holiday.

The unemployment rate in Ireland was last reported at 14.6 percent in April of
2011.