UPDATE, April 8, 1 p.m. – Sounds as if the capsizing of the James Robert Hanssen ocean rowing boat was a result of an open cabin hatch. In an interview with Seattle radio station KUOW, Jordan Hanssen said the crew was in the middle of a shift change when the boat capsized. With the cabin hatch open allowing rowers to swap places, water poured into the tiny cabin. When the boat capsized, the unsecured cabin prevented the boat from righting itself as it is designed to do. The crew deployed the life raft and signaled for help. They were rescued

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OAR Northwest, the adventure rowing team that got its start in Tacoma, is the subject of a short film that debuts tonight at the Vancouver (B.C.) International Mountain Film Festival.

The film “Salish Oars” is directed by team member Markus Pukonen and tells the story of last year’s expedition to row around Vancouver Island. The journey was a training exercise for their current transatlantic expedition. The crew is currently fighting challenging currents and weather as it attempts to row from Africa to Miami in an expedition sponsored by Canadian Wildlife Federation.

Greg Spooner, a team member from the …

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Two University of Puget Sound graduates are part of a four-man crew that shoved off from the Republic of Senegal at about 2:30 this morning with plans to row to Miami.

Former UPS rowers Jordan Hanssen and Pat Fleming departed the African country and plan to row unassisted 3,569 miles across the Atlantic. Also on the crew are Canadians Adam Kreek, a 2008 Olympic rowing gold medalist, and Markus Pukonen.

Hanssen was part of an all-UPS crew that rowed across the North Atlantic in 2006.

This expedition, sponsored by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, was originally scheduled to start last …

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OAR Northwest is returning to its roots to complete its crew for a transatlantic row later this year.

Captain Jordan Hanssen said the team added former University of Puget Sound rower Pat Fleming for the Canadian Wildlife Federation Africa to the Americas expedition.

Hanssen is a former UPS graduate who formed OAR Northwest with three college friends to row in a race from New York to the United Kingdom in 2006. The 2006 team won the race and earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. Hanssen’s book on the expedition, “Rowing into the Son” (The …

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UPDATED AT 9:15 P.M.

Sorry for the delay. The team arrived at Jericho Park at about 10 a.m. this morning completing its circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. More coverage in the Thursday and Friday editions of The News Tribune.

UPDATED AT 8:15 A.M.

Craig Hill has sent a text that the OAR Northwest team is within sight of their landing spot. Under cloudy skies, but comfortable weather otherwise, the team is nearing the completion of their nearly three-week circumnavigation of Vancouver Island.

There is no WiFi at Vanier Park, the team’s destination, but Craig will send …

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