Solo rower Andrew Halsey may try again on his epic challenge to cross the Pacific.

Mr Halsey was forced to give up his second bid to cross the Pacific because his boat was damaged beyond repair.

Rower Andrew Halsey

The 29ft Brittany Rose took a pounding from a violent storm and the 45-year-old had to be rescued.

But plans are already under way to build another boat so that he can try again.

Andrew, whose family home is in Clacton, is still on a coastguard boat heading for Guatemala and hopes to arrive back on land tomorrow.

He will then fly straight back to England and be reunited with his parents, Barbara and Dennis, who live in Avondale Road, and the rest of his family.

His sister Amanda, who runs the Castle Inn in Colchester, said they were keen to put right a number of reports which had appeared since Andrew's rescue last week.

"He was not told to quit by the Ocean Rowing Society and he had not run out of supplies," she said.

"Andrew had enough food for another three months and the one and only reason he had to give up was his boat had been damaged beyond repair. Had it not been for that, he would still be out there now."

Published Monday, April 7 , 2003

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