When Scott Donaldson was winched to a helicopter less than 100 kilometers short of becoming the first person to kayak the Tasman solo, he proved that giving it a crack and not reaching your goal is better than not giving it a crack at all.
Donaldson had been at sea for over 3 months after leaving Coffs Harbour in Australia in his kayak - his second attempt to cross the Tasman from Australia to New Zealand - but after a broken harness, a dead radio battery, chest and facial injuries, and gale-force winds that were pushing him back towards Australia, he decided to jump in the water and board the rescue helicopter, despite being able to see Mt Taranaki, a landmark that signalled what would have made a successful voyage, in the distance.
Most people would say that Donaldson "failed," but what he said after he made it back to the mainland of New Zealand reinforces the words of AFL Hall of Fame player and coach Ron Barassi when he said:
"There's no disgace in failing. The only disgrace is if you only half try, or three quartes try, or 99 percent try."
Donaldson had battled wind and rain and braved the cold and crashing waves, and even though he didn't make it to where he was trying to get to, Donaldson said he was confident he
‘‘left it all out there.’’
Despite looking disappointed when he faced the media after a shave and a hot shower, he also looked happier giving it a 100% crack and missing out than giving it a 90% crack and "succeeding."
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