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A Date With the Strait – 150 Mile Battle Between Man and Sea

Posted on February 26, 2014 - Filed Under Stand Up Paddling, Surftech Boards | By

February 25, 2014 (Victoria, AUS) – Icy Antarctic swells, gusting winds, BIG fish (with sharp teeth) and shallow depths make the Bass Strait twice as rough as the English Channel. It’s been likened to the Bermuda Triangle where weather conditions change rapidly and boats disappear. The threat of sharks, strong winds and huge waves is not enough to deter two Australians and one American paddler from an ambitious attempt to become the first in the world to paddleboard across the Bass Strait.

A Date With the Strait is a roughly 150-180 mile (240-300km) paddle through the Bass Strait between Southern Australia and Tasmania. The Bass Strait, one of the most treacherous bodies of water in the world, with its exposure to the Southern Ocean and shallow depths routinely causes problems for sailors on even the largest vessels. Yet world champion paddleboarders Zeb Walsh (Victoria, AUS), Jack Bark (Palos Verdes, CA) and Brad Gaul (Sydney, AUS) began their journey to cross the Strait yesterday using only their hands and arms to power their 12ft Bark Commanders.

“This is our Everest,” explained Walsh. “No one’s ever done it before. I guess it’s almost like pioneering the adventure paddle… we’re the guinea pigs to see how hard it is and if it can be done.
The Surftech board is proven in all conditions,” explained Joe Bark, board designer and creator of the 12ft Commander. “The 12ft length gives it the ability to fit in all different types of bump and chop. The board’s stability and size let’s it work well in the flat water, as well as massive open ocean waves, such as in the Molokai race. Because it’s only 12ft, it takes less power to push compared to an unlimited, which will allow the boys to paddle it day after day with less fatigue than on an 18ft board.”

Follow this epic adventure – A Date With The Strait Facebook page.

Surftech 12″ Bark Commander available in the UK April contact 01205 722745 or info@surfcom.co.uk for more info.

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