31 Jan 2012
Ragged from 10 months of rowing
Leaving from Lima, Peru, ten months ago, Bellini, 30, began a voyage to row across the Pacific Ocean aiming to arrive in Australia by mid-November. Around that time Bellini was north of Sydney, about 200 miles off the coast, with 9364 nautical miles behind him. But the weather got the better of him. Unfavourable currents caused Bellini to move just 100 miles in nearly three weeks.
North of Sydney, off the coast of Newcastle, Bellini decided to terminate the crossing. After 294 days, 9 hours and 6 minutes, Bellini's row was over.
"I was rowing nowhere. A month ago the weather became bad. I was so close to land but the forecast was not changing and I thought there was nothing left to do," says Bellini. "I know the real value of life so I decided not to make a step westward because it could get me into trouble."
Bellini has no regrets. "I'm proud of myself to be able to make the decision to not go further with only 50 miles left to row. When you're at that point it's easy not to recognise dangers. Motivation can make you like a blind person."
Bellini capsized a month ago and at the time much water got inside the cabin of his seven metre specially designed rowing boat. All of the electrical equipment on board was damaged including Bellini's SAT phone. This left him with no voice communication – only text messages. This made it harder for Bellini to communicate with his support team so his decision to get help became his decision alone.
An Australian search and rescue aircraft and a New Zealand-registered tugboat came to Bellini's aid. Bellini was guided into Newcastle where he had to be carried into the customs office. Bellini was 15kg lighter.
"My adventure has been exhausting physically and mentally. I have blisters on my feet that have swollen because the blood now starts to flow as I haven't walked for 10 months."
Although Bellini's trip was solo he says he never felt alone receiving over 30,000 messages. "I shared my adventure with these people – my bad and good moments. They became friends of mine. They could feel my moods."
On reaching land Bellini says he was craving junk food. He had been dreaming of peanut butter, Nutella and Italian food like pizza and spaghetti. But most of all Bellini wanted to embrace his wife. Married two years ago, Bellini says it's time to get back to her and to stay.
"I want my next adventure to be having children."
The 294 days at sea put Bellini into the ocean rowing record books. Adding on to his 226 days rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, Bellini is now second in total days of ocean rowing. Bellini has also walked across Alaska twice.