Rower could be swept past New Zealand

Trans-Tasman rower Shaun Quincey may have saved his biggest drama for the home stretch as he battles a northerly current which is threatening to sweep him past the top of the North Island.

Quincey has rolled at least twice since he left Australia on January 20, has broken two oars and got close to running out of fresh water.

However, his land crew said today they were now seriously worried that if he could not get out of the strong northerly current and head east, he could be swept rapidly north.

He might then have to be towed in as he could miss New Zealand completely.

In his latest twitter message from his boat Quincey said he was at the mercy of the weather.

"It doesn't like me much. Got my head down and rowing like a mean machine. C'mon NZ. Very keen to get home," he said.

Quincey was about 250km from Dargaville off the west coast of the North Island today and missed a scheduled telephone call from his satellite phone to his land base.

Oliver Young told NZPA he had probably turned his phone off as he battled the northerly current.

"He is in an eddy at the moment which keeps going north and that current is moving at eight or nine knots.

"He is just a slave to it and he just has to try and get out of it.

"If it goes past the top of the North Island it doesn't let him go. It just keeps taking him north."

Mr Young said Quincey told him of his fears last night.

"It's a real worry we have at the moment because last night his drift north was quite alarming.

"If this continues we will be waving at him as he goes by."

Mr Young said coastguards and the National Rescue Co-ordination Centre had been alerted and there was a chance Quincey would have to be towed in although that was the last thing he wanted.

- NZPA