Heartbreaking Footage Shows Man's Last Moments As He Leaves Family Before Attempting To Kayak 994 Miles

Heartbreaking footage has resurfaced of a man leaving his family before attempting to kayak 994 miles.

Back in 2007, an Australian adventurer set out on his toughest challenge yet, aiming to kayak across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.

Andrew McAuley had been preparing for this moment for a long time, and it was his biggest challenge to date.

You might wonder what makes the Tasman Sea so dangerous.

Andrew is filmed leaving his family by the shore as he begins the trip which would end in tragedy. National Geographic

Well, the merging currents of the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Oceans, each with different temperatures, create some very unpredictable conditions.

Andrew first attempted this ambitious trip in December 2006. However, after just one day, freezing conditions caused him to develop hypothermia, cutting the journey short.

He tried again just weeks later on January 11, 2007, this time with a properly insulated kayak that he could sleep in.

Sadly, this would be Andrew's last adventure.

Thanks to an X post by Morbid Knowledge, footage of Andrew's final moments with his family has come to light again.

In the clip, Andrew says his farewells to his family, including his young son.

Andrew McAuley training in November 2006. Fairfax Media via Getty Images via Getty Images

He then sets off in his kayak, looking very emotional as he takes to the water.

His young son can be heard shouting ‘bye daddy’. That was the last time Andrew saw his family.

The trip began with great promise. Andrew gave regular updates on his progress.

In one video early in the journey, he could be heard saying it was ‘an excellent, excellent, excellent adventure… provided I make it’.

However, at one point, he seemed to question if he had taken on too much.

The last photo Andrew McAuley took on his journey. Vicki McAuley

He admitted: "It’s more full-on than anything I could imagine. It’s a true, true, stunning, stunning adventure. 

"I just hope I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew because there’s a few little things going wrong." 

"But I mean, I still feel pretty good… hopefully I’ll get there very soon because right now I just want it to be over with.”

Tragically, Andrew never completed his journey. His kayak was discovered just 30 miles short of his final destination. His body was never recovered.

Andrew first made a name for himself in the early 2000s with his daring adventures and stunts.

In 2003, he became the first person to kayak the notoriously dangerous Bass Strait, completing the 136-mile challenge in just 25 hours.

Additionally, Andrew undertook a 330-mile trip across the Gulf of Carpentaria, which earned him the Adventurer of the Year award in 2005.