Andrew McAuley sent a garbled distress call out to rescuers who could only make two words out - 'sinking' and 'help' ...

It’s the body of water that instils fear and inspires sailors in equal measure. Six hundred miles of open sea, and some of the roughest conditions on the planet ... And it’s not just the winds making ...

THIS is the chilling last photo of a kayaker who vanished after making a haunting distress call. Thrill-seeker Andrew McAuley disappeared after he tried to cross a dangerous storm-prone sea.

Along the way, he is collecting poo samples from sea mammals to check ... for an eight-hour paddle in a kayak is pretty tough going but once you're out on the water it's OK," he said.